Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the south-east Queensland coast later this week, bringing significant wind, rain and coastal impacts.

Tropical cyclone is the catch-all term for the powerful, spinning storms that feed off warm oceans and the strength of which is determined by wind speeds. The strongest are known as hurricanes in the Atlantic and typhoons in the Western Pacific and simply tropical cyclones in the South Pacific.

Weather satellites are capturing the formation and movements of Tropical Cyclone Alfred as it approaches Queensland's south eastern coastline.