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.

Sky News Australia Meteorologist Alison Osborne has examined how Tropical Cyclone Alfred is currently tracking as it travels off the Queensland coast.

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.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred could strike a large population centre, with forecasters predicting a hit anywhere from Brisbane in the southeast to Mackay in the north. Alfred was expected to be ­ elevated to a category-3 system by Wednesday night and is tracking south. On Wednesday it was well offshore, 1000km northeast of Townsville.

The weather system is sitting about 910 kilometres north-east of Cairns and is forecast to reach category three by Tuesday.

Alfred was a tropical cyclone in the Coral Sea Tuesday morning Eastern time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in its latest advisory. The tropical cyclone had sustained wind speeds of 86 miles per hour,

A tropical cyclone is set to intensify as it looms off Australia's coast, with a tracking model predicting a direct hit on one state in the coming days.