Tropical Cyclone Alfred, an unusually southern storm for Australia’s east coast, took a surprising turn toward land, putting Brisbane and nearby areas at risk. Though not the strongest cyclone on record,

South East Queensland and northern NSW continue to experience rain and flooding in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Follow our ongoing coverage.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred has spent the night creeping towards Queensland’s coast and northern NSW. Despite authorities downgrading the cyclone to a tropical low early Saturday morning, locals have been warned not to be complacent with serious flooding risk remaining despite wind speeds slowing down.

The Australian government said on Monday it would activate financial support for workers who lost income due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, which has caused widespread flooding, power outages and property damage across the east coast.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is forecast to cross the coast between the Queensland state capital Brisbane and the tourist city of Gold Coast to the south late Thursday or early Friday.

Tropical cyclone Alfred is a reminder that powerful storms have the power to show up in some surprising places.