Latest Update on Cyclone Alfred: Status, Impact, Forecast

It’s rare for a tropical cyclone to force the complete shutdown of an entire metro region’s airports, but that’s exactly what Severe Tropical Cyclone Alfred did in early March 2025. Downgraded to a tropical low on 4 March, the system still packed enough punch to close multiple airports and leave half a million homes without power across southeast Queensland.

Formed: 21 February 2025 ·
Status: Downgraded to tropical low ·
Expected landfall: Between Maroochydore and Bribie Island ·
Reported injuries: Several (road collision) ·
Airports closed: Multiple Queensland airports

Six key facts encapsulate the scope of the system, from its formation to its landfall.

Is Alfred no longer a cyclone?

Current classification from the Bureau of Meteorology

This means Alfred no longer meets the technical criteria for a tropical cyclone, specifically the sustained wind speed thresholds required to maintain that classification.

Timeline of downgrade from cyclone to tropical low

• 21 February 2025: Tropical low 22U forms northeast of Cooktown (Bureau of Meteorology)
• Late February 2025: System intensifies into Severe Tropical Cyclone Alfred (Bureau of Meteorology)
• 4 March 2025: Cyclone downgraded to a tropical low (Bureau of Meteorology)
• 7 March 2025: Alfred makes landfall on Moreton Island, according to Suncorp Group’s event summary
• 8 March 2025 (expected): Mainland crossing between Maroochydore and Bribie Island (The Conversation)

The takeaway: Residents should treat a downgraded low with the same caution as an active cyclone, as heavy rainfall and flood risks persist inland.

Which airports are closed due to Cyclone Alfred?

List of affected Queensland airports

• Brisbane Airport: Suspended all domestic and international departures and arrivals from 4:00 pm on 6 March 2025 (FCM Travel)
• Gold Coast Airport: Closed from 5 March 2025 (FCM Travel)
• Ballina-Byron Airport: Closed from 5 March 2025 (FCM Travel)
• Sunshine Coast Airport: Remained open on the morning of 5 March 2025, but was later impacted (Australian Aviation)
• FT Alliance logistics hub (Brisbane): Closed from midday 6 March to midday 8 March 2025 (FT Alliance)

Expected reopening timeline

Resumption of flights: 9 March 2025

By the evening of 8 March, FCM Travel reported that flights would resume for departing and arriving domestic and international services at all Southeast Queensland airports on Sunday 9 March 2025. The Queensland Recovery Agency notes the event period stretched from 1 March to 16 March 2025, meaning ongoing disruptions to schedules were likely well into the following week.

The implication for travellers: The shutdown window was short but severe. Anyone with a flight booked 6–8 March had very few alternative options to reroute through other Queensland hubs.

Which countries will be affected by Cyclone Alfred?

Primary impact: Australia (Queensland)

• The cyclone’s primary impact was confined to the Australian state of Queensland
• Coastal regions from Cooktown south to Brisbane experienced the most severe weather
• Northeastern New South Wales also saw significant wind and rain impacts (Bureau of Meteorology)

Potential effects on neighbouring islands or territories

• No other countries reported direct impacts from the system
• The storm’s trajectory remained fixed on the Australian mainland and Moreton Island

The pattern: This was a purely domestic weather event for Australia, sparing the broader South Pacific region despite its initial formation off the Queensland coast near Cooktown.

What areas will Cyclone Alfred impact?

Coastal regions from Cooktown to Brisbane

• The cyclone’s path affected coastal communities along a vast stretch of the Queensland coast
• Hardest hit: the area between Maroochydore and Bribie Island, where landfall is expected
• Peak wind gusts recorded include 107 km/h at Gold Coast Seaway and 100 km/h at Gold Coast Airport on 7 March (Bureau of Meteorology)
• Brisbane Airport recorded a gust of 93 km/h on the same day (Bureau of Meteorology)

Inland flood risk zones

Toowoomba Airport, located inland on the Great Dividing Range, recorded a peak gust of 98 km/h on 9 March 2025 (Bureau of Meteorology).

What this means: Residents from Brisbane to Cooktown faced severe weather, but those in the landfall zone bore the brunt of the storm surge, coastal erosion, and structural damage.

Where is Cyclone Alfred going to hit hardest?

Worst-hit areas around Maroochydore and Bribie Island

• The most severe impacts were expected between Maroochydore and Bribie Island
• The Conversation reported that the low was expected to cross the mainland coast there on Saturday morning (8 March)
• This zone experienced the highest wind speeds and most significant storm surge

Reported damage and injuries in those zones

• More than 500,000 customers lost power across southeast Queensland and northeastern NSW during Alfred’s impacts (Bureau of Meteorology)
• The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads warned that roads and bridges were expected to be impacted by flooding and high winds
• Australian Aviation reported that Alfred caused severe flooding and was blamed for a spike in flight cancellations in the month following the event (Australian Aviation)

The trade-off: While injuries were relatively low for a system of this magnitude, the infrastructure damage — particularly to the power grid and road networks — was severe and extended well beyond the immediate landfall zone.

Timeline signal

The following timeline outlines key dates and events during the cyclone’s lifecycle.

The timeline confirms the system’s progression, but the full extent of recovery efforts remains to be seen.

What officials are saying

“Roads and bridges are expected to be impacted by flooding and high winds. Please drive to the conditions and avoid travel when possible.”

— Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (state road authority) (Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads)

“Cyclone Alfred has been downgraded to a tropical low and is expected to cross the mainland coast between Maroochydore and Bribie Island on Saturday morning.”

— The Conversation (academic news analysis, 4 March 2025)

“Several injuries have been reported… mostly due to a road collision involving the Australian Defence Force.”

— Wikipedia (community-sourced encyclopaedia, drawing on news reports)

For Queensland residents and the tourism industry along the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, the recovery from ex-Cyclone Alfred will be a multi-week effort spanning power restoration, road repairs, and flood clean-up. The implication for anyone with travel plans to the region is straightforward: verify your flight status directly with the airline before heading to the airport, and stay tuned to the Bureau of Meteorology for evolving flood warnings. Without this vigilance, the cyclone’s aftermath can catch even the best-laid plans off guard.

The FAQ addresses the most common questions, but residents should always refer to official sources for the latest updates.