Increasing confidence Tropical Cyclone Alfred will not make landfall

There is increasing confidence Tropical Cyclone Alfred will not make landfall on the Queensland coast, though it is expected to persist in its passage over the Coral Sea into next week.

Alfred strengthened briefly overnight to a severe category 4 storm, but has returned to a category three.

"At this stage landfall is looking less likely," Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Jonathan How said.

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The storm is forecast to bear towards the Queensland coast tomorrow, before shifting back on Sunday as it moves south.

It is forecast to decline to a category two storm tomorrow.

Although it is less likely to make landfall, the storm is still bringing hazardous conditions to the Queensland coast from Townsville to K'gari.

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How warned that with waves of up to 2.5 metres and swell reading three metres, alongside strong winds, it was unsafe on the coast for swimming, boating, and rock fishing.

Those same conditions are forecast to spread to the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast on the weekend.

Gale force winds have been recorded across the Great Barrier Reef, while the cyclone itself has 155km/h winds at its centre with gusts of up to 220km/h.

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It's currently situated about 750km east-north-east of July.

How said the storm was expected to maintain a category two status into next week.

He said there were a "range of options" for its longer-term movement after the weekend.

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