Cyclone Alfred: What to expect when the storm strikes

“There can be what we call wind-driven water ingress, which is water can come pretty much horizontal and be pushed underneath the seals of your doors and windows,” she said.

“We recommend using plastic and taping that up to reduce some of that damage.

“But the scariest part is when something hits your house, or something hits close. Quite often, you’ll have electrical transformers blow, which that can be scary in itself hearing that happen.

“Whatever happens, we recommend staying inside. Stay in that safest room in your house, which is usually the smallest room with the least windows – your bathroom or the hallway, or under the stairs can be really good.

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“Also, remember to plug up your toilet and your drains because there’s potential for sewage to come out from underneath.”

The biggest danger, Gurtner said, would be the eye of the storm. Models show Alfred’s eye could pass over heavily populated areas in Greater Brisbane.

She had a simple message for this period – stay inside.

“The wind will come from one direction – quite intense – and there’ll be really strong wind gusts that come in that are even stronger than standard winds,” Gurtner said.

“Then there’ll be this eerie, calmer quiet period.

“There’s a tendency for people to go outside during that period because they think it’s over, but we recommend staying sheltered in place, stay in that location because you don’t know when the winds are going to come.

“They’re going to pick up and come from the other direction, so that can even be more intense on the second half of the cyclone.”

Living in Townsville and having grown up in Cairns, Gurtner has experienced cyclones that packed a lot more punch than Alfred.

But that was in a region built to withstand the onslaught. Brisbane homes may not be so lucky.

“In the north, buildings are built to cyclone code and the integrity of them is much stronger, so the same kind of cyclone would not have as much structural damage in the far north,” she said.

“You have a lot of older housing stock [in Brisbane], older roofs, so now’s the time to have a look.

“You’ve still got some time to prepare. Have a look at the house. Have a look at the integrity of your house. Is there rust in your roofs? Clean your gutters out if you haven’t done so. And if there is termite damage or rot, or those sorts of things you’re concerned about, consider evacuating.

“It’s better to be safe and secure somewhere than in a place where you’re not sure about how that’s going to last.”

Gurtner is keen to dispel one tip doing the rounds on social media.

“There’s that theory about opening the leeward side of your house,” she said. “Do not open doors and windows on any side of the house.

“There may be debris, there could be power issues, there could be water to slip. So it’s much safer just to stay in place until authorities tell you it’s safe to go out.”

Category 2 storms such as Alfred typically have destructive winds and can cause minor house damage, significant damage to signs, trees and caravans, and heavy damage to crops – along with the risk of power failure.

The Bureau or Meteorology advised there was a “low risk” that Alfred could be upgraded to a category 3 before it crosses the coast. That would bring wind gusts of between 165km/h and 224km/h.

Category 3 storms can cause roof and structural damage, the destruction of caravans and likely power failures.

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