Live: Cyclone Alfred’s edge hitting Australia’s east coast as it near

The cyclone tracking towards Australia on Wednesday night.
Photo: ABC / Bureau of Meteorology

Thousands of Australians are under emergency weather warnings as Tropical Alfred nears New South Wales.

The tropical cyclone’s western edge is already is already having an effect on Australia’s east coast.

Weather experts are predicting it will cross the coast early on Friday morning with damaging wind gusts, storms, and heavy rainfall expected to impact a large warning zone spanning Queensland and NSW.

It is expected to make landfall between the Gold Coast and southern parts of Wide Bay region as early as Thursday evening as a category 2 cyclone.

-RNZ/ABC