Uncertainty lingers over whether Tropical Cyclone Alfred will make landfall in Queensland after it strengthened to a "severe" category three storm overnight. Currently, Alfred is about 850km north-east of Mackay and 1000km north-east of Rockhampton,

Severe Tropical Cyclone Alfred has strengthened to a Category 3 storm and its path is becoming clearer — with Queensland residents warned to stay alert for updates. Alfred is slowly moving south through the Coral Sea and is forecast to continue to move generally south while slowly strengthening.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is a high probability of crossing one of the most highly populated stretches of the Queensland coast by early next week.

The weather system is sitting about 910 kilometres north-east of Cairns and is forecast to reach category three by Tuesday.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred could strike a large population centre, with forecasters predicting a hit anywhere from Brisbane in the southeast to Mackay in the north. Alfred was expected to be ­ elevated to a category-3 system by Wednesday night and is tracking south. On Wednesday it was well offshore, 1000km northeast of Townsville.

Alfred was a tropical cyclone in the Coral Sea Tuesday morning Eastern time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in its latest advisory. The tropical cyclone had sustained wind speeds of 86 miles per hour,

A tropical cyclone is set to intensify as it looms off Australia's coast, with a tracking model predicting a direct hit on one state in the coming days.

Sky News Australia Meteorologist Alison Osborne has examined how Tropical Cyclone Alfred is currently tracking as it travels off the Queensland coast.