Cyclone Alfred live updates: What you need to know

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Christine Johnson has warned Brisbane will experience fierce thunderstorm conditions for up to six hours – even before the force of Cyclone Alfred hits.

‘It’ll be those sort of conditions that we’re used to seeing for 20 minutes or so at a time with a thunderstorm coming through … but potentially sustained for six hours or more,’ she told ABC Radio Brisbane on Friday morning.

She added that Moreton Island is now at the epicentre of the super storm’s path.

‘It looks like it will initially make landfall on Moreton Island in the very earlier hours of tomorrow morning, or close to midnight, and then move across the mainland coast through the early hours of tomorrow,’ she says.

‘We will feel the effects well and truly before it makes landfall.’

There are warnings Cyclone Alfred’s ‘erratic’, slow moving path could trigger five days of severe flooding across large stretches of southeast Queensland and northeast NSW.

The category 2 storm had initially been predicted to hit the coast overnight Thursday but its arrival has been delayed by more than 24 hours as it continues to change course.

The cyclone is now less than 200km from Brisbane and is expected to hit the coast late Friday night or in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The belated arrival means that the region is now expected to be battered by storms for up to five days instead of three, with wind gusts of up to 155km/h and a deluge of 800mm rain predicted over the weekend.

More than 20,000 home were already in darkness overnight amid widespread blackouts across the Gold Coast and Tweed Heads after the region was battered by storms.

Thousands of residents across northeast NSW were urged to evacuate on Thursday night or risk being cut off for days by floodwaters.

Supermarkets throughout the region have closed with Daily Mail Australia hearing reports people have been heading inland to stock up on supplies as far away as Warwick and Clifton.

Cyclone Alfred has changed its course once again as it prepares to make imminent impact.

Four million residents in northern NSW and southeast Queensland will hunker down on Friday as gale force winds of 155km/h and torrential rainfall totals of up to 450mm smash the region.

The slow moving category-two system is now 245km east of Brisbane after Alfred spun back around to the east for a second time on Thursday.

Current modelling suggests that Alfred is expected to make landfall early Saturday morning near Redcliffe, 41km north of Brisbane, slightly further north than previously indicated.

Heavy overnight rainfalls could lead to dangerous and life-threatening flooding as Alfred approaches the coast.

‘Due to the very slow moving nature of the cyclone, there is a very high risk of significant impacts due to widespread heavy rainfall over the coming days,’ the latest Bureau of Meteorology alert states.

‘The centre of Alfred is expected to cross the coast Friday night or early Saturday morning.’

Gusts of up to 120km/h developed near the coasts between Cape Moreton and Cape Byron late Thursday which are expected to extend to coastal and island communities between Noosa and Ballina early Friday.

Rainfall amounts could reach between 200mm and 250mm over six hours and between 350mm and 450mm within a 24 hour period.

A dangerous storm tide is also likely for exposed coastal areas between Cape Moreton and Yamba, including the Gold Coast and Byron Bay beaches.

Hundreds of residents have already evacuated their homes to seek shelter higher ground.At least 20,000 homes across both regions are also without power.

More than 20,000 homes were in darkness as of midnight on Thursday, with more than 12,000 Energex customers in the Gold Coast affected.

Energex spokesperson Brett Judge urged customers to remain patient.

‘Where our crews can respond, they will, and where they can’t, they can’t get power on,’ he told ABC Radio.

Meanwhile, 10,000 homes and businesses between Tweed Heads and Bulahdelah lost power on Thursday afternoon, according to Essential Energy.

‘Crews are working to restore as soon as it is safe to do so as outages occur, with some locations unable to be accessed due to heavy rainfall flooding river crossings or water on the roads,’ a spokesperson said.

Aussies have been warned their homes may be without power for a long time due to the dangerous conditions forecast.

Redland Council has issued an urgent warning for Moreton Bay and Stradbroke Island residents to take shelter inside their homes now.

Destructive and persistent winds from Tropical Cyclone Alfred will begin from 4am on Friday as Cyclone Alfred makes landfall.

‘You may need to go to the strongest, safest part of the building you are in. This will be away from big windows,’ the council advised.

‘It could be a bathroom, walk-in wardrobe or hallway. Stay there. This could take several hours.

‘Emergency services will not be able [to] get to you because it is too dangerous.

‘Winds could stop suddenly if the eye of the cyclone goes over. Very dangerous winds could start again quickly from a different direction.’

Power, phone and internet services ‘could be out for a long time’.

Residents have also been advised to cover windows in their ‘safe rooms’ with mattresses or heavy blankets in case the glass shatters and to shelter beneath mattresses and blankets incase the roof of their house blows off.

‘Listen to local radio on your battery-powered radio for updates; keep all doors and windows closed; stay in your safe place until you are told it is safe. This could take several hours,’ the council instructed.