The Gold Coast is about to be hit with some wild weather, with authorities urging locals to stay out of the water and drive safely.
An east coast low will form later today with the worst of it to hit the Gold Coast tomorrow.
All beaches will be closed tomorrow and Saturday, with swells of up to 4-metres and gale force winds of up to 90 km/h forecast to batter the coastline.
Mayor Tom Tate is urging locals to not go in the water.
“Please stay out of the water. It’s just that you don’t know what’s underneath it,” Mayor Tate says.
“There’s a reason why it’s closed. And you know what? The sunshine will come back. It’s just for a couple of days.”
The dangerous surf conditions are expected to cause localised damage and coastal erosion across southeast beaches.
Meanwhile, up to 35mm of rain is predicted to fall across the city tomorrow, with Police today launching a fresh appeal urging motorists to drive to conditions.
“Road conditions can change rapidly when water is added to the mix, causing safe and familiar routes to be subject to incredibly dangerous conditions,” Assistant Commissioner Ben Marcus says.
“We usually see an increase in crashes in wet conditions, many of which could have been avoided by being aware of the conditions at the time.”
Gold Coasters are also being warned to secure loose items, with the huge gusts of winds of around 90 km/h expected to hit.
The weather system is predicted to ease by Sunday.
