Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred is dumping heavy rain across large parts of South East Queensland and northern New South Wales as it moves inland after crossing the Queensland coast this morning.

Meteorologists say the tropical low is still packing a punch in parts of south-east Queensland and northern NSW ahead of the new working week.

South East Queensland and northern NSW continue to experience thunderstorms, intense rainfall and flooding in the wake of Alfred. Follow our ongoing coverage.

Hundreds of schools will be closed across Queensland and NSW tomorrow as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred continues to smash the east coast. In Queensland, which 7NEWS meteorologist Tony Auden earlier warned was bracing for “phenomenal” rain totals, hundreds of schools are expected to be closed across the state.

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.

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

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the southeast Queensland coast late this Thursday as a Category 2 storm. The last tropical cyclone to make landfall in the region was ex-Tropical Cyclone Zoe in 1974, half a century ago.