What's Steering Alfred?

Craig Brokensha picture
Craig Brokensha (Craig)
Swellnet Analysis

Six feet to twenty feet, and everything in between. 

Every refresh of the East Coast forecast charts reveals a new outlook, and it all surrounds the movements of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

Alfred is currently a Category 3 system, meandering in the Coral Sea, triangulated midway between the Australian mainland, the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia.

While there’s high confidence regarding the southward movement of Alfred over the coming days, this confidence lowers significantly into the weekend with multiple scenarios at play, including a coastal crossing between central and southern Queensland, which, if it were to happen, would be devastating.

Current position of Tropical Cyclone Alfred (Zoom.Earth)

With so many advances in computing and forecasting technology, why are tropical storms still so hard to grapple?

The answer to that is largely because cyclones survive in environments where there is weak upper atmospheric wind. Yet it's also those upper atmospheric winds that steer cyclones.

While the cyclone itself contains signficiant winds, where and how fast the whole system moves is is dictated by other, often more subtle, environmental factors. These include ridging from high pressure or interactions with the jetsream.

When there's an absence of those environmental factors, a powerful system is at the mercy of hairline shifts in the atmosphere - and that creates a forecasting difficulty.

Since forming last weekend, Alfred has meandered about the Coral Sea thanks to the lack of any major steering influences.

The track over the next couple of days will be a result of a subtropical high in the Tasman Sea, moving east across New Zealand, with Alfred following the path of least resistance south and settling at a position east of Rockhampton this weekend.

The circuit breaker for whether Alfred stays offshore from the coast or moves inland - and hence whether there will be surf or just a rainy washout - is an approaching upper level trough from the south-west on Monday.

Importantly, this trough will, for the first time since Alfred formed, bring upper level steering winds. The winds will be north-west and arrive ahead of the trough, helping steer the system away from the coast. Yet any delay in the approaching trough would allow Alfred to possibly start tracking inland.

The below chart shows the timing of the expected upper level trough, with The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) having the trough arriving earlier and with more strength (left) than the US’s Global Forecasting System (GFS) forecast (right). This can be seen by identifying the trough line axis, which is across Coffs Harbour in the left image on Monday evening, but still around Newcastle in the right image.

Timing of the upper level wind change Monday evening. ECMWF (left) has it arriving earlier and with more strength than GFS (right). (Weatherzone)

While only hours in diffference, any weakening or change to the angle of this trough could be the difference between a coastal crossing and an offshore track.

Looking at the associated track forecast by various iterations of the ECMWF model for TC Alfred (below) and the majority of the forecasts have it tracking south-southeast, away from the coast into early next week. There is still a chance for a coastal crossing as indicated by the lighter green across south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales, though it puts this at 10-20%.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred strike probability (ECWMF)

In regards to swell potential, the most beneficial for surfers is for TC Alfred to stay out to sea, at arms length of the coast. This would generate a wider ranging swell event from Queensland to southern New South Wales with less ‘bank-busting’ surf that otherwise would only be surfable at a handful of breaks.

In terms of coastal erosion and impacts on the general population, this is obviously the best case scenario as well.

While the offshore outlook is favoured, we’ll continue to ride the roller coaster of model updates as the eventual track and swell potential becomes clearer.

Comments

mugofsunshine's picture
mugofsunshine's picture
mugofsunshine Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 4:37pm

This is great Craig, thank you

Andrew P's picture
Andrew P's picture
Andrew P Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 4:42pm

Seconded by a rank layman - thanks Craig!

swellsam's picture
swellsam's picture
swellsam Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 5:11pm

I've currently got a subscription to both surfline and swellnet, after only really giving swellnet a go recently. The 3 detailed forecaster notes a week, and multiple reports a day from the forecast team at swellnet really highlights the lack of effort over at surfline.

I think surfline's colour coding system they use to rank surf quality is cheap and misleading too. The amount of times I've had mates of mine say, 'oh its yellow on surfline, may aswell stay home' is hillarious, when anyone who can read forecast basics knows it'll be perfect conditions.

The community aspect through the comment section, and posts like these, I think is the best, especially for those with a bit of forecasting obsession (a healthy obsession, forecasting is just as fun and rewarding as surfing imo). Cheers for this one Craig! Everyone support your local forecasting site for just 10 bucks a month, and lets hope Alfred stays off the coast.

Trentslatterphoto's picture
Trentslatterphoto's picture
Trentslatterphoto Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 5:56pm

Oath mate swellnet is the shit surfline suck thick black cobras

Tooold2bakook's picture
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Tooold2bakook Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 5:59pm

100% agree

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 6:01pm

Thanks for the feedback, we really appreciate it.

Tony Miller-Greenman's picture
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Tony Miller-Greenman Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 9:30pm

You guys at Swellnet are more on the money than the BOM. Honestly, they hedge their bets and are a bit shit. Thanks Ben and the crew for putting in the hard yards every second day to keep us regulars at swellnet happy with the incoming weather and surf predictions.

ryder's picture
ryder's picture
ryder Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 11:24am

Haha... the BOM!!!
50% chance of rain means 50% chance it won't rain, and it's normally the latter...

Surfalot67's picture
Surfalot67's picture
Surfalot67 Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 6:18pm

Yep. Surfline is sensationalist garbage. Their WSL forecasts are always double the actual outcome

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 6:33pm

Surfline, more cams, absolute SHIT reports and forecasts, probably the worst going.

Swellnet, less cams, easily the BEST reports and forecasts of anyone, especially M/W/F.

Had both for years though cancelled SL recently. It's pretty pointless unless there's specific / overseas cams you use. I don't.

And they don't have Stu <3

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 8:18pm

Confused?

I always thought <3 meant breasts - like if you view it side on.

Just clarified it doesn't, so right backacha.

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 9:57pm

He meant that you’re the tits.

stunet's picture
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stunet Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 7:23am

Now I feel like a boob.

mr mick's picture
mr mick's picture
mr mick Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 6:55pm

Ha, He got you in a booby trap!!

rj-davey's picture
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rj-davey Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 12:23pm

also side on, I thought it was nuts

I also struggle with latte art with coffee shops presenting all manner of vulgarities to me over the years

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 3:22pm

OO

?

backyard's picture
backyard's picture
backyard Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 8:28pm

And I'll 2nd that on Stu. Always interesting, well researched and serious articles on design and build.

scott.kempton's picture
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scott.kempton Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 7:45pm

swellnet every day of the week for me , i organise work around a forecast around a week out .

basesix's picture
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basesix Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 7:50pm

+1 absolutely..

swellsam's picture
swellsam's picture
swellsam Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 8:12pm

Have any other surfline users notice that they deadset just stopped posting daily reports ever since around december last year? Where the old morning report used to be is just a short description written a few days prior of forecasted conditions, not an actual, real time observation from the spot.

A few things i like about surfline (the positives don't outweigh the negatives) are as someone mentioned the number of cams they have. The option to look at what the winds are doing at an exact break is good too on a morning when winds might vary slightly from one spot to another. I like how you can see the conditions on an hourly basis too compared to the 6 hour intervals on here. Being able to look at historical data on surfline up to 10 years ago is cool too if i'm reminiscing on a swell. As I said, this site just does everything else so much better though, and for the price we pay we are pretty lucky.

backyard's picture
backyard's picture
backyard Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 8:21pm

2nd that. Narabeen news is lazy and thin.

Le_Reynard's picture
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Le_Reynard Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 10:17pm

here here

Youcandoit's picture
Youcandoit's picture
Youcandoit Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 10:18am

You've hit the nail on the head @swellsam; Surfline's tri-weekly forecast updates have become more sparse by the month... as you've said, the only word that comes to mind is lazy

Nick Gee's picture
Nick Gee's picture
Nick Gee Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 8:07pm

+1

The artful soap dodger's picture
The artful soap dodger's picture
The artful soap... Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 9:27am

I’ll second that (or is it sixth now?). Whilst the app is a bit glitchy and sometimes requires a restart of your phone to load, I’ve noticed a massive improvement in the observed reports for my local (Newy) since last year. This includes improved accuracy, better detail, much better writing (i.e. information that’s relevant and helpful which is written properly) and sometimes even advice to hold off till later in the day despite what the wind/swell forecast on other sites is saying. I’ve scored on a couple of occasions from these tips. I also agree that Surfline pales in comparison and has gone downhill rapidly over the past year. It also feels good to support local surf forecasters and Australian-owned and operated businesses like Swellnet. Whoever is doing your reports for Newcastle now, please pass on my positive feedback. Any chance of putting the water temp back into the reports? It’s really helpful info.

Confusion's picture
Confusion's picture
Confusion Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 6:35pm

Powerful waves in SE QLD today, combined with a shallow low tide bank
9.1 not a good option.

AlfredWallace's picture
AlfredWallace's picture
AlfredWallace Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 7:27pm

Wash your mouths out, the mere mention of Surfline and I cringe. It’s got nothing on Swellnet.

Swellnet leaves Surfline in its wake.

We’ve got great owners, staff, knowledgeable forecasters come oceanographers and meteorologists, top line surf journalists a full box of chocolate.

Show ya loyalty to this starship, if you don’t subscribe , you should.
If you’re not subscribing, I want to know why. AW

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 2:38pm

LOL
You just said it ....

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 8:18pm

AlfredWallace's picture
AlfredWallace's picture
AlfredWallace Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 8:22pm

Shotedump. Hi mate.

So good. AW

shoredump's picture
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shoredump Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 8:45pm

Looks like a flamin mongrel of a cyclone,
hey AW

AlfredWallace's picture
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AlfredWallace Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 9:09pm

Shoredump. Looks very unpredictable. By Craig’s readings, they are all different , complex variables and inputs and the machinations that are at work within absolutely interest me.
It’s either going to pump somewhere or make some serious geomorphological changes to various parts of the coasts over a broad spectrum of land mass or just go off on a tangent to elsewhere.
I love how Swellnet has staff that can explain all this to us.

It’s a wait and see this one. AW

Baron von Spatula's picture
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Baron von Spatula Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 6:29pm

?si=tanOYvsEUPcmf34E

backyard's picture
backyard's picture
backyard Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 8:22pm

Thank you. This was really interesting reading - subtle and comprehensive.

Supafreak's picture
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Supafreak Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 9:46pm

I currently subscribe to swellnet , surfline and recently picked up buoyweather who I originally used about 15 years ago . Surfline is good for their worldwide surfcams and long range tide times ( which the depth of high and low is a bit out ) and that’s about it in my opinion . Craigs forecast notes for Indonesia are by far way more accurate than any other surf forecasting website I’ve used , I don’t surf anywhere else and have dropped windy & surf forecast because they simply aren’t consistent enough with wind direction and swell size . I took up buoyweather again as a comparison to swellnet because I can pin point a location with them and get a reasonably accurate tide time . I’m giving them a run for a year and see how they perform compared to swellnet . Keep up the great work SN .

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 2:43pm

LOL , sounds like you like to be very prepared before surfing .
Do you find time to surf....... or do you use your spare time all up studying the forecasts ?
# forecast # too many choices

Supafreak's picture
Supafreak's picture
Supafreak Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 5:55pm

Before I travel to remote locations I like to know what my chances of waves are going to be and what boards I should take. I need someone like Craig to spell it out for me as I’m a dummy when it comes to reading charts, that’s why I subscribe , reading the notes makes it a whole lot easier for me in deciding which spot I’m going to go to . Doesn’t take much time to read the notes and as I’m retired it leaves ample time to hit the waves . Gone are the days of turning up somewhere after spending 2 days to get there only to get skunked .

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 12:55am

Gotcha @ super freak
Strike missions or long hauls ?

Thegrowingtrend.com's picture
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Thegrowingtrend.com Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 10:23pm

Craig for Pm

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 10:48pm

Qld King tide is tomorrow morning
https://www.msq.qld.gov.au/tides/king-tides

Confusion's picture
Confusion's picture
Confusion Thursday, 27 Feb 2025 at 11:23pm

Cape Bowling Green , might be bowling !
Any predictions on that ?
Or Harvey Bay ,Bundaberg ?
Or Boneyards ( the good one)

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 5:55am

Alfred has now reached Category 4 and it looks like the models are keeping it offshore for now with GFS now aligning more with ECMWF regarding the strength and timing off the upper trough on Monday which will push it away from the coast.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 6:17am

Latest GFS run (and a long time from now). Wouldn't that be funny - not!

only-sams's picture
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only-sams Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 6:53am

I’ll take a hard pass on that one thanks IB.

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 3:24pm

Ah, shut

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 7:49am

Solid storm at the moment with gusts in excess of 100kts.

Just crawling around at the moment, probably the last 24 hrs was it's best window for intensification.

Going to be a really interesting scenario if it lingers around off the SEQLD coast next week as to how long it retains it's TC status. It's likely to become a hybrid sub-tropical system but even so, I'm struggling to come up with a similar analogue system that has hung out in that region for so long- if that is what comes to pass.

In other words, this could be an historic system.

Jono's picture
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Jono Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 8:40am

Could see West Stradbroke fire up for the first time in 50 years.

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 8:55am

SSTs in the region pretty favourable.

shraz's picture
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shraz Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 9:10am
freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 9:49am

Apparently waves crested the dunes at Byron Bay and were rolling down the Main Street past the Great Northern.

shraz's picture
shraz's picture
shraz Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 10:07am

And wouldn’t that be fun now! Jokes aside we are not prepared. But good waves are likely somewhere.

Lanky Dean's picture
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Lanky Dean Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 2:46pm

Heavy , the round about becomes a slab .

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 3:25pm

That's the one mum remembers as a girl. I'll contact her to ask where this one will pass over the coast.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 9:58am

Yeah the longevity of this system will be incredible, possibly near a fortnight.

Interesting that the seasonal climate models picked the cooling of SST in March, right where Alfred will sit over a week out..

goofyfoot's picture
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goofyfoot Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 10:05am

We’re in qld for a family holiday the second half of March. Think it might still be going?

hamishbro's picture
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hamishbro Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 11:19am

I was thinking exactly the same thing. Genuinely captivated now by this one.

Confusion's picture
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Confusion Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 9:16am

Goodbye sand .

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 10:06am

Goodbye V. Walls .

stunet's picture
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stunet Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 9:26am

"Six feet to twenty feet, and everything in between."

No problem, I'm sorted.

"The Quiver Killer is one of our all time best selling and most loved models. Popular around the world. It was one of the original modern hybrid shapes, that worked in all types of conditions. It can be adjusted with fins, for waves of all types and sizes.

"A literal one board quiver, thus the name."

daltz's picture
daltz's picture
daltz Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 11:30am

yeah stu, dig this stick for travelling, just a selection of fins to suit size variants. here's to a light boardbag :-)

only-sams's picture
only-sams's picture
only-sams Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 9:45am

Hard to see a situation playing out that doesn’t just involve a whole bunch of coastal carnage even if it does stay offshore?

5-6m with gale SE?

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 9:51am

I'm fine with an almighty bank-buster.

We've had a month of swell and not a grain of sand has shifted- we're still mired in a very mediocre sand formation and I'm sick to death of it. it's been this way for over 6 months.

Let's clear the chess board and start again.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 2:47pm

Bahahahaha!

mugofsunshine's picture
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mugofsunshine Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 10:06am

@fr76 I'm with you on that one. SC has had too much sand for too long, time for a change up.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 10:10am

Latest EC and Access runs have a SEQLD coastal crossing.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 10:21am

Though next weekend, not the coming weekend and in a much weakened form. Would be good to get some rain from it eventually though. We'll see.

shraz's picture
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shraz Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 9:14pm

No. No rain. Just waves. No more of that endless rain.

RKG's picture
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RKG Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 10:51am

There is currently a pleasure craft / sailing boat (in pink) sitting in the middle of Alfred
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:154.5/centery:-19.3/zo...

daltz's picture
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daltz Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 11:38am

That's a great little program RKG...couldnt find the Chinese on there :-)

"Addressing the Chinese task group’s activities so far, Capie concluded, “What they’ve done is consistent with international law. That’s what lets us sail through the South China Sea and through the Taiwan Strait and stand up for freedom of navigation and international law.
But let’s also not pretend that they’ve come south because they want to see the penguins!”
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/02/chinese-navy-penetrates-dee...

bwahahaha funny fker

daltz's picture
daltz's picture
daltz Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 11:50am

i'm sure you guys have more interesting stuff behind a paywall, though I found this one quite mesmerising
https://zoom.earth/maps/satellite/#view=-27.04,154.99,5z/date=2025-02-28...

Stephen Allen's picture
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Stephen Allen Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 2:27pm

Freedom of navigation, what a croc of shit. Freedom for Israel to navigate the complete destruction of Palestine.

daltz's picture
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daltz Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 4:26pm

Link shouldve come with a trigger warning ;-)

Standingleft's picture
Standingleft's picture
Standingleft Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 12:45pm

AgiesCam starting to muscle up

Craig's picture
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Craig Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 12:46pm

Bowls!

Standingleft's picture
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Standingleft Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 1:22pm

Looks so fun, fringed with Coconut palms, could do with more subtropic surf breaks.
Nuggety storm surf, no long lines in this one it would seem.
King tides are a worry

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 2:15pm

Some great discussion here from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center..

"FORECAST DISCUSSION: TC 18P WILL REMAIN IN A COMPETING STEERING
ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FIRST 48 HOURS OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. AS A
RESULT, THE TRACK MOTION WILL BE SLOW MOVING AND NEARLY
QUASI-STATIONARY AT TIMES. AFTER TAU 48, THE TRACK SPEED WILL
INCREASE AS THE RIDGE TO THE EAST BECOMES THE PRIMARY STEERING
INFLUENCE, CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO CURVE SOUTHEASTWARD. TC 18P WILL
WEAKEN CONTINUALLY THROUGH THE END OF THE FORECAST DUE TO DRY AIR
ENTRAINMENT INTRODUCED BY HIGH VERTICAL WINDSHEAR FROM THE WEST AND
UPWELLING OF COOL SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES. THE SYSTEM WILL WEAKEN
TO 65KTS BY THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. "

lolo's picture
lolo's picture
lolo Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 2:57pm

It's still bouncing around all over the place. Choose you own adventure depending on which model you want to look at. Latest BOM model is an outlier and has it coming ashore at Byron on Thursday where GFS and EC and have it moving back up and out to sea of Bundaberg

Interesting week ahead...

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 3:10pm

Latest GFS updates throws another curve-ball and shifts it out to the east-northeast super quick early next week.

Likely an anomaly..

Elliedog's picture
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Elliedog Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 3:12pm

Goes to show how unreliable the things are. Go to beach in the morning and check it

Iced vovo's picture
Iced vovo's picture
Iced vovo Friday, 28 Feb 2025 at 4:41pm

About time I subscribed, been a long time lurker on these pages, even thrown in the odd comment and felt lame doing so, now I can do it guilt free :) Great article Craig.

jimbrown's picture
jimbrown's picture
jimbrown Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 12:03am

Craig (and other knowledgeable folk): when you talk about upper atmospheric winds, is this the upper flow of air we learnt about at school re: Hadley Cells, Ferrel Cells etc? i.e. Equator heated most, so we get low pressure systems, and then that air flows (at altitude) north/south before descending around the tropics?

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 5:43am

After staying offshore early next week thanks to that upper trough, we're starting to see model consensus regarding a retro-grade back west and coastal crossing later week and across south-east Queensland..

ruckus's picture
ruckus's picture
ruckus Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 6:44am

Oooohhhhh

The swell graphs gone bananas this morning after a real scaling back late yesty

Fingers crossed something else eventuates

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 7:42am

Yep, all models now suggesting a crossing mid next week somewhere between Wide Bay to SEQLD.

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 7:56am

12Z Thursday. GFS, UK, EC.

Craig's picture
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Craig Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 8:19am

Lovely charts IB!

hamishbro's picture
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hamishbro Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 10:53am

Oh no. Horrendous outcome.

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 8:09am

That's quite a scary prospect.

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 8:24am

Yeah, thought it warranted posting. Was doing the severe weather outlook for NZ and glanced towards the NW.

(@Craig, that's Visual Weather from IBL)

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 8:25am

Far canal, hope not.

Craig's picture
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Craig Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 8:32am

Latest EC update.. The AIFS model (light blue line) which has been fairly reliable still has it staying out to sea, but the other EC members push it inland. We watch and wait..

AndyM's picture
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AndyM Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 9:22am

Red and green tracks equals Richmond River catchment nightmare.

velocityjohnno's picture
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velocityjohnno Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 1:59pm

Pop quiz: which model doesn't like New Zealand?

mr mick's picture
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mr mick Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 6:53pm

Elle McPherson?

Island Bay's picture
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Island Bay Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 8:35am

Gotta love the little swirl in the Tasman, haha

only-sams's picture
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only-sams Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 9:44am

Still holding out a little hope for the track to turn into a mysto NW swell system to light up a few novelties.

JodyP's picture
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JodyP Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 8:57am

note the different Qld wave recorder buoy readings. Bundaberg late last night (I think it was) went from S-SE 6 second swell to N-NE 14 seconds, and is just now starting to show a push in size. Wide Bay buoy is yet to start showing a change, but it cannot be too far away. Might be interesting to track the swell arrival through the buoy readings, plus get an early heads up, as it runs down the coast over the next few days. https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/coasts-waterways/beach/monitoring/wav...

JodyP's picture
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JodyP Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 9:02am

Also, what I at first thought might have been inflow feeder bands, but upon looking at the satellite imagery video might be outflow bands instead, [Craig can comment] the upper level cloud associated with the cyclone is just now coming over the Sunny Coast and making its way over Brisbane and onto the G.C. (8am). https://www.windy.com/-Satellite-satellite?satellite,-25.046,153.018,6,p...

JodyP's picture
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JodyP Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 9:15am

Current observations for Cato Reef. Winds around 60kn and increasing. Still SE. http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ60801/IDQ60801.94394.shtml

hamishbro's picture
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hamishbro Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 1:04pm

Now it’s looking epic again.
Oh no, I refreshed again and it looks distrastrous.

sean killen's picture
sean killen's picture
sean killen Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 1:17pm

Alfred stubborn born n bred queenslander doesn’t want to travel south ..hopefully he whips up something down here for us cockroaches

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Saturday, 1 Mar 2025 at 9:29pm

Could be some epic rainfall (pending where he crosses). I’ve read a prediction of 300-500mm in 48 hrs Goldy/NR - that’s not good for anyone

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 12:26pm

Pushing south? Especially rain for NNSW.

The artful soap dodger's picture
The artful soap dodger's picture
The artful soap... Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 1:09pm

Fantastic video @Sprout, thanks. Watched the whole thing - fascinating and terrifying stuff.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 2:08pm

Yeah interesting, the YT algorithm popped him up recently, does a couple a day.

benjis babe's picture
benjis babe's picture
benjis babe Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 5:03pm

hope it goes south @sprout, we r flying in from Japan to Brisbane 8am thurs morning, hoping the p[lane gets diverted to the sunny coast and not Sydney or cairns

Johan Wohlleben's picture
Johan Wohlleben's picture
Johan Wohlleben Friday, 7 Mar 2025 at 12:16am

Good analysis

Riddy's picture
Riddy's picture
Riddy Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 3:08pm

The AIS signal from the pleasure craft that was right in the cyclone is from a solo rower rowing across the pacific
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-02/search-for-rower-aurimas-mockus-o...

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 6:30pm

Holy shit! What kind of hell is this poor fella living through right now!?
I'm not religous, but saying a little prayer for old mate to get through the other side of this.
Gonna be one incredible story to tell.

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 6:50pm

Here is an New Zealand cyclone forecaster today, that doesnt do caffeine a couple of times a day.


Alfred is going to be messy...

only-sams's picture
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only-sams Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 7:13pm

WeatherWatch is an incredible channel - highly recommend to anyone looking to watch/listen to a few forecasts a week.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Monday, 3 Mar 2025 at 4:11am

A warning re WW. Philip Duncan seems to think that GFS is the only models out there, and will often put all his eggs in that basket.

only-sams's picture
only-sams's picture
only-sams Monday, 3 Mar 2025 at 6:37am

True but I often don’t mind that - his explanation of the underpinning of systems and the higher level theory is pretty good.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Monday, 3 Mar 2025 at 9:19am

Agree on the second part :-)

Johan Wohlleben's picture
Johan Wohlleben's picture
Johan Wohlleben Friday, 7 Mar 2025 at 12:20am

He’s pretty good

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 7:49pm

Now EC is keeping it out to sea until Friday evening, mental.

Matb's picture
Matb's picture
Matb Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 7:53pm

By mental , Is that a good thing or bad thing Craig?

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 8:00pm

Better for surf and also for flood scenarios.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Monday, 3 Mar 2025 at 9:20am

Yep, and the 12Z EC run also very slow.

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 7:56pm

I'm O/S until next week...the comments are making riveting reading.
Hope everyone stays safe and after that, hope you all get waves...

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Sunday, 2 Mar 2025 at 10:17pm

Murwillumbah & Coffs people may have to move to higher ground if they get 500mm.
Most of Lismore have left the town last flood. Fuel up the boats and jet skis.
https://meteologix.com/au/model-charts/euro/new-south-wales/accumulated-...

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Thursday, 6 Mar 2025 at 11:23pm

tonights ABC weather update. Bellingen has had 280mm
Two day rain est peak totals 400mm


The frogs are calling

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Monday, 3 Mar 2025 at 12:55pm

12Z run of GFS, UK and EC models at 00Z Thursday. Note, GFS and UK very similar, while EC has a significant easterly bias.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 3 Mar 2025 at 12:59pm

Thanks IB!

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Monday, 3 Mar 2025 at 1:05pm

How big does Kirra hold?!?

(And my pleasure!)

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 3 Mar 2025 at 1:06pm

Not much more I'd say. Looks 8ft to possibly 10ft take-offs right now.

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Monday, 3 Mar 2025 at 10:40pm

Alfred served a hot mixed course today.

Noosa may have many retired day traders, surfin with a phantom keyboard... lost in space...


some kind person edited this Sunday session.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Tuesday, 4 Mar 2025 at 7:19am

Sharing is caring !

bbbird's picture
bbbird's picture
bbbird Monday, 3 Mar 2025 at 11:06pm

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Tuesday, 4 Mar 2025 at 2:11pm

Any updates on storm track ?

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Tuesday, 4 Mar 2025 at 2:43pm

Crossing seems to keep moving slightly south on each run but we'll see.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Tuesday, 4 Mar 2025 at 3:29pm

My 17 hour flight is due to land at Brisbane at 7am Friday morning.

ECMWF says no.

mugofsunshine's picture
mugofsunshine's picture
mugofsunshine Tuesday, 4 Mar 2025 at 3:40pm

Let me know if you need a pickup from MCY Ben

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Tuesday, 4 Mar 2025 at 3:50pm

A mid-flight diversion to Nadi wouldn't be viewed too harshly.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Wednesday, 5 Mar 2025 at 10:46am

Stay safe !

basesix's picture
basesix's picture
basesix Saturday, 8 Mar 2025 at 1:30pm

flights are back on.. did you end up getting through @thermalben?

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Saturday, 8 Mar 2025 at 3:22pm

Yep. Managed to get an earlier flight that arrived Thurs AM.

basesix's picture
basesix's picture
basesix Sunday, 9 Mar 2025 at 12:48pm

ace mate, good result!

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Thursday, 6 Mar 2025 at 4:35am

Details of Tropical Cyclone Alfred 22U at 1:00 am AEST:
Intensity: category 2, sustained winds near the centre of 95 kilometres per hour with wind gusts to 130 kilometres per hour.
Location: within 30 kilometres of 27.4 degrees South, 156.3 degrees East , 325 kilometres east of Brisbane and 300 kilometres east northeast of Gold Coast .
Movement: west at 7 kilometres per hour .

Tropical Cyclone Alfred will continue its approach towards the southeast Queensland coast, with the far western edge already impacting the coast from about Coolangatta to Ballina.

Alfred is a category 2 cyclone, and is forecast to maintain this intensity as it continues to approach the southeast Queensland coast. The centre of Alfred is expected to cross the coast during Friday, most likely between Maroochydore and Coolangatta.

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Thursday, 6 Mar 2025 at 6:44pm

Six to Twenty Feet and everything in between
Goldie Local Wave Height Check...

3rd March 2025 SLSQ Beaches Closed Warning > [No Surfing] beach walking, swimming!)
This is a rare Warning addressed at Surfers to keep out of the Surf!
https://lifesaving.com.au/news/surf-life-saving-queensland-cyclone-alfre...
6th March (Afternoon!) Premier backs up SLSQ directive [No Surfing]

Cyclone Alfred Wave Heights up to...
15 metres Wide Bay North Monday 3rd March 2025
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-05/tropical-cyclone-alfred-erosion-s...
https://www.willyweather.com.au/news/174544/tropical+cyclone+alfred+fore...

12.30 metres Main Beach Late on Wednesday 5th March 2025
15.24 metres Tweed Heads Wednesday 11:00 am 5th March 2025
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-06/cyclone-alfred-stalling-at-sea-la...
https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/weather/tropical-cy...
16.52 metres Gold Coast on Thursday 9:00 am 6th March 2025 (Buoy Damaged!)
https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/what-to-expect-from-alfreds-dangerou...

All of these above record Wave Heights were repeated on same day...Evening news.

+
1.67 metres rising Storm Surge reported on Midnight 5/6th March 2025 (Surge rises until Fri/Sat xing)
BOM warns of Dangerous Storm Surge causing Major Flooding if Alfred times landfall with High Tide.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/cyclone-alfred-path...
This Cyclonic Storm Surge seems way more powerful & higher than predicted...
It keeps taking all by surprise...tbb thinks these piddly predictions will be swamped.
We're going higher & faster...Storm Surge gotta be 2m and rising >
see Bribie Breakthru days ago > Seawall Washover > Viking Car Park is not breached but plundered
It's still rising...lock in 2m+

6th March Premier doubles down on Surfers to back off...STFAH.
Talk of Big Beach Fines $16,000 for any Sky-larkers
https://thenightly.com.au/australia/australian-news-and-politics-live-cy...

https://www.pedestrian.tv/online/cyclone-alfred-surfers-queensland-tiktok/

Goldie Local Wotz New [Next Level] Wipeout Live Report
Authorities are now really concerned of High Tide < > Cyclonic Cross.
2nd Bribie Breakthru is Happening
https://www.facebook.com/couriermail/videos/premier-david-crisafulli-sai...
https://www.facebook.com/thesunshinecoastdaily/videos/%EF%B8%8F-the-firs...
Waves washing over Seaway Breakwall (Keep Off!)
Foamies filling Nth Straddie / Froggies
https://www.instagram.com/couriermail/reel/DG2Ngd7Ou3P/
Waves rip up Currumbin Vikings Car Park
https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/aussies-stranded-at-looko...
Beachgoers with Pets risk being pinned against Dune Cliffs...High Risk Rescues!

Confusion's picture
Confusion's picture
Confusion Friday, 7 Mar 2025 at 10:15pm

Just getting wild now!

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Friday, 7 Mar 2025 at 11:37pm

Stay safe mate. This is storm is no joke.

Confusion's picture
Confusion's picture
Confusion Saturday, 8 Mar 2025 at 12:28am

Yes thanks, it’s a bit of an unknown quantity, still 8 to 10 hours to go before crossing over Brisbane !

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Saturday, 8 Mar 2025 at 12:59am

How's everyone doing ?

Confusion's picture
Confusion's picture
Confusion Saturday, 8 Mar 2025 at 5:42am

Not too extreme inland a bit, on the Goldy
The eye now hovering in Northern Moreton Bay , Lots of flooding in low lying areas expected , and no beaches left.
No power cuts here yet !

Confusion's picture
Confusion's picture
Confusion Saturday, 8 Mar 2025 at 4:58pm

Just had a look at Main Beach , worse weather ever, even after downgrading to tropical low and 100 kms away.
95 kmph gust at seaway at 3 pm
The power of a cyclone.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 8 Mar 2025 at 5:09pm
Confusion's picture
Confusion's picture
Confusion Saturday, 8 Mar 2025 at 6:10pm

Alfie’s a serious tropical depression too !

Standingleft's picture
Standingleft's picture
Standingleft Tuesday, 11 Mar 2025 at 12:11pm

Hi Craig, love your analysis of weather events, any chance of a follow-up article, What did steer Alfred ?
He was a pulsating beast. Someone said he had a elongated core? Seemed like he was inhaling and exhaling along the journey, do cyclones calm at night?
Where did he actually cross?
Surely it'll be a much studied cyclone.
Just curious, your work is always much appreciated thx

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Wednesday, 12 Mar 2025 at 11:02am
offshoreozzie's picture
offshoreozzie's picture
offshoreozzie Wednesday, 19 Mar 2025 at 11:26am

Thoughts on the chances of another significant cyclone for QLD this season/year?