Ex-cyclone still yet to make landfall on mainland

Alfred reached the offshore islands about midnight AEST before it lost its cyclone status and was downgraded to a tropical low at 6am AEST.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s last update at 1.38pm AEST said the system was still off Bribie Island and was slow moving.

“It is expected to move west and cross the mainland coast between Maroochydore and Caboolture later today,” the bureau said.

The system’s last known location was 65 kilometres north north-east of Brisbane and 40 kilometres south-east of Maroochydore.

9news’ tracking map showed ex-tropical cyclone Alfred had failed to stick to its forecast route, delaying its landfall.

“Cyclone Alfred, it was actually doing pirouettes out at sea before it came in and that was part of the delay, spinning in on itself,” 9news reporter Josh Bavas said.

“If it had followed the forecast track that everyone was thinking, the meteorologists included, it should have come straight into south-east Queensland but it was actually out there, turning around.

“At one point, only moving towards us at about six kilometres an hour so that has caused significant delays.”

Some anxious residents have begun to venture out today as emergency warnings were downgraded to a watch and act.

With businesses closed, services closed and cities shut down, everyone is waiting for the system to cross the coast sometime today.