Three Cyclones Now Swirling Off Australia’s Coast

Satellite images have captured a rare sight—three tropical cyclones swirling in the Pacific at the same time.

While Queensland watches and waits to see if category 3 Tropical Cyclone Alfred will make landfall, two more cyclones—Tropical Cyclone Seru near Vanuatu and Tropical Cyclone Rae southeast of Fiji—have also formed.

Thankfully, none of them are expected to hit major landmasses in the coming days, though meteorologists at Weatherzone say they’ll bring rain and storms to some South Pacific islands.

Together, the three storms stretch across a massive 5000-kilometre-wide cloud band.

As of 10 a.m. AEST (11 a.m. AEDT), Tropical Cyclone Alfred was sitting about 810 kilometres off the coast of Mackay. The Bureau of Meteorology’s senior meteorologist, Jonathan How, said there’s “high confidence” it will stay offshore for at least the next two days.

“Beyond this, there are still a range of scenarios that could play out,” he said, explaining that Alfred might drift closer to the Queensland coast or continue its path further out to sea.

Regardless of where it ends up, the cyclone is already making an impact. With winds up to 130km/h and gusts reaching 185km/h, Alfred is churning up dangerous surf along the Queensland coast. A strong wind warning has been issued from Townsville to K'gari, with waves of up to three metres and hazardous conditions for beachgoers and rock fishers.

Authorities are urging people to stay informed by checking the Bureau of Meteorology’s website for updates.