People prepare for wild weather as meteorologists forecast Tropical Cyclone Alfred will hit Queensland later this week, with the state’s capital in its path

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the south-east Queensland coast later this week, bringing significant wind, rain and coastal impacts.

It will be the first time the south-east has been in the direct firing line of a tropical cyclone in several decades.

Australia’s east coast is closely watching Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which has been churning and strengthening over the Coral Sea. Although the storm is expected to stay offshore for now, it’s still set to bring gusty winds, rising swells and hazardous surf conditions to Queensland’s heavily populated coastline in the coming days.

The Foreign Office has issued a stark warning to UK holidaymakers heading towards Australia due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred. The FCDO posted on the government website: "Tropical cyclone Alfred is forecast to bring adverse weather to Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales from Wednesday 5 March.

Tropical cyclone Alfred is moving away from the Queensland coast, but meterologists predict it will turn back towards Brisbane from Tuesday. It comes amid severe weather warnings for the state’s south, as well as K’gari, and northeast NSW, as high tides, damaging surf, and gale force winds are forecast.

Australia’s east coast is bracing for tidal surges, intense rainfall, strong winds and flooding as a cyclone is expected to veer toward the country’s third-biggest city.

More than 700 mm of rain could inundate parts of southeast Queensland and northeast NSW later this week as Tropical Cycl