When and where will Cyclone Alfred make landfall? What we know about the storm's current trajectory

Millions of residents in southeastern Queensland and northern New South Wales, Australia, are bracing themselves for Tropical Cyclone "Alfred," which is expected to make landfall in the next two days.

More than 4 million residents from Sandy Cape to Grafton have been warned, with the storm expected to hit on Friday, bringing heavy rainfall, dangerous winds, and potential flash floods. The Bureau of Meteorology had previously predicted landfall on Thursday night or Friday morning, but now expects "Alfred" to make landfall sometime on Friday.

Residents between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, especially Brisbane, are expected to bear the brunt of the impact. "Alfred" slowed to 7 km/h on Wednesday night, changing predictions about its arrival time and impact on the coast. Destructive gusts of up to 120 km/h are expected to begin impacting coastal areas of southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales throughout Thursday.

Destructive wind gusts of up to 155 km/h are expected to impact the coast and islands south of the cyclone's path by Thursday night or early Friday, extending further inland on Friday. Waves of over 7 meters have already been recorded in the ocean. Heavy rainfall is anticipated after the cyclone makes landfall and weakens into a tropical low, with daily rainfall potentially reaching 200 to 400 millimeters, which could lead to flash flooding.

Australian residents can track the storm's projected path on the Bureau of Meteorology website, which regularly updates path maps. At 1 a.m. on Thursday, "Alfred" was located 325 kilometers east of Brisbane, moving west at 7 km/h. The Bureau of Meteorology has designated the area from Double Island Point to Grafton as a warning zone, including Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, and Byron Bay. However, the warning zone does not include Grafton. Towns such as Ballina and Lismore in northern New South Wales are also preparing for the cyclone. The Bureau of Meteorology will continue to track this storm as it approaches the coast.