The cyclone's path beyond Saturday remains unclear but communities along the coast from central Queensland south are preparing for the worst.

Satellite imagery can help determine the strength, size and cohesion of a storm. The stronger a storm becomes, the more likely an eye will form in the center. When the eye looks symmetrical, that often means the storm is not encountering anything to weaken it.

There is a high probability Cyclone Alfred, currently around 1,000 kilometres offshore, will cross one of the most highly populated stretches of the Australian coast next week.

Tropical cyclone activity is buzzing across the Southern Hemisphere with as many as six cyclones simultaneously spinning around. According to the Accumulated Cyclone Energy tally complied by Colorado State University,

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is a high probability of crossing one of the most highly populated stretches of the Queensland coast by early next week.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is intensifying as it continues to travel through the Coral Sea after forming on Sunday, but updated tracking data shows it is still set to make its way towards the Queensland coast after intensifying into a Category 3 system.

Three tropical cyclones are spinning in the South Pacific, an occurrence that scientists say is unusual. Tropical cyclones Rae, Seru and Alfred are all churning as the region is in the peak of a season that starts in November and ends in April.

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.