Alert – Get out NOW: Evacuation orders are issued for parts of northern NSW as millions brace for ‘erratic’ Cyclone Alfred

Cyclone Alfred has slowed over warm water off ‘s coast, increasing the chance of it strengthening to a category-three system.

The tropical cyclone will be the first to hit southeast Queensland and northeast NSW in over 50 years.

A warning zone stretching 650km remains in place from Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in northern NSW. The zone includes Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Ballina, but doesn’t include Grafton.

The category-two cyclone is expected to make landfall in the early hours of Saturday morning, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said. 

The Bureau said the cyclone was most likely make landfall between Noosa and Coolangatta.

Follow Daily Mail ‘s live coverage of the cyclone’s movements.