A rare tropical cyclone is approaching the east coast of Australia, as forecasters say residents need to prepare for "destructive" wind gusts.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is churning in the South Pacific Ocean in an area that does not see much tropical storm activity. The cyclone forced the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to issue warnings for parts of the Queensland and New South Wales coast, including heavily populated Brisbane.

As of Thursday, Alfred had gusts of 80 mph, but forecasters say wind gusts of up to 100 mph are possible near the coast.

The impending storm has closed schools and the city's international airport.

Forecasters say the cyclone is moving slower than anticipated, meaning those in its path will have to deal with a longer duration of the system.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns warned residents that some essential services might not be accessible in the days following the storm.

"Do not delay. Evacuate now," he said to residents of low-lying areas.

Although the center of the storm is not expected to reach land by late Friday, some flooding has been reported near the Pacific coastal border of New South Wales and Queensland.