Thousands of residents in eastern Australia were ordered to evacuate as Tropical Cyclone Alfred brought heavy rains and powerful winds, posing a threat to two states near Brisbane, the country’s third-largest city. The cyclone is expected to make landfall around lunchtime on Saturday, bringing widespread power outages, storm surge, and flooding.
Airports, schools, and businesses were closed as the Australian Bureau of Meteorology warned of heavy to locally intense rainfall, which could lead to major flooding. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the situation as “serious,” warning of heavy rain, destructive winds, and major flooding.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli called Cyclone Alfred an “extremely rare event” that hasn’t hit state capital Brisbane in over 40 years. The storm has already caused widespread power outages, affecting around 82,000 properties on Queensland’s Gold Coast and northern NSW.
Research suggests tropical cyclones are intensifying more quickly, with stronger wind speeds and heavier rainfall. Human-driven climate change is believed to have intensified the meteorological conditions that led to Cyclone Alfred. The Australian nonprofit ClimaMeter warns that this type of storm may retain its strength for longer and move more slowly in a rapidly changing climate.
Experts say Cyclone Alfred is an example of how human-driven climate change is altering the intensity and behavior of tropical cyclones in Australia. The combination of higher sea surface temperatures and increased atmospheric moisture is fueling heavier rainfall and stronger winds, raising the risk of catastrophic flooding and coastal erosion.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/03/07/cyclone-alfred-australia-brisbane-queensland-nsw