Cape Byron has received the worst of the strengthening winds along the exposed east coast as Tropical Cyclone Alfred slowly mades its way toward the coast over night.

Sarah Scully, a senior meteorologist with the Bureau of Meteorology said Cape Byron has recorded a mean wind speed of 92 km/h, and gusting up to 120 km/h. Evans Head was not far behind seeing 98 km/h wind gusts and Yamba 89 km/h.

"So, winds are really starting to strengthen, and they're expected to continue to strengthen and reach destructive throughout today," Sara said.

The most rainfall associated with TC Alfred has been just west of Coffs Harbour with Meldrum recording 440mm and Dorrigo 429mm in the last 48 hours.

In the Northern Rivers, Mullumbimby has received 321mm in the last 48 hours.

"The river systems are responding to the heavy falls, particularly across North East New South Wales on the southern flank of the system. In that onshore flow, the Bellinger River, is already at moderate flood level. So unfortunately, the northern river systems in New South Wales are already on their way to major flooding.

"Major flood warnings have been issued for the Logan, the Tweed, the Brunswick, Wilson, Richmond, Orarra, Bellinger and Nambucca rivers of New South Wales, with more flood warnings and watches likely to be upgraded over the coming days as this weather event unfolds."

As reported earlier on the Lismore App, Sarah Scully said Tropical Cyclone Alfred is likely to maintain the Category 2 strength as it approaches the offshore islands later tonight, and then the center of the system is expected to start to interact with the coast and weaken to a Category 1 system for the crossing of the mainland on Saturday morning.

"Alfred has continued to maintain a Category 2 strength overnight and continue in its westward movement, but it did slow down again, and as of 5:52am Daylight Savings Time, or 4:52am Queensland time, it's located around 195 kilometers east of Brisbane, or 180 kilometers east northeast of the Gold Coast."

As you would expect there is a Tropical Cyclone Warning in place that extends to just short of Grafton for gale-force winds or damaging to destructive winds, heavy to intense rainfall that may lead to life-threatening flash flooding and as well, dangerous storm tides.

There is also a Severe Weather Warning for North East New South Wales for both heavy to intense rainfall and damaging to destructive winds.

Sarah Scull said it extends a little further inland than that tropical cyclone morning to include parts of the ranges this morning.

"We've got six hourly rainfall totals, between 200 to 250 millimeters, and 24-hour rainfall totals between 350 to 450 millimeters and destructive wind gusts. Wind gusts up to 155 kilometers per hour are also possible.

"We also have a coastal hazard warning that extends all the way from the Sunshine Coast down through the New South Wales, Queensland border into Nambucca Heads. Now this is for dangerous surf and abnormally high tides, and these will continue to bring inundation of low-lying areas and also significant coastal erosions."

Keep up to date with the latest weather situation with the Bureau of Meteorology through the Lismore App Weather, Weather Radar, or the BOM directly http://www.bom.gov.au/.