Residents across northern NSW have been told today is the day to prepare their properties or relocate with weather conditions worsening as Tropical Cyclone Alfred tracks slowly towards the coast.

Coastal NSW and south-east Queensland have already been buffeted by torrential rain, gale force winds and large surf but the conditions are expected deteriorate further ahead of the cyclone making landfall near Brisbane early on Saturday.

Rainfall totals of up to 400 millimetres are expected in the Northern Rivers and Tablelands and is expected to be accompanied by damaging winds of up to 150 kilometres per hour.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said Thursday was the "day to act".

"If you feel that you're in a vulnerable situation or an unsafe area, we would ask you to consider moving in with a family, a friend, somebody close by," he said.

"But Thursday is the day we don't want people on the roads when the storm hits northern NSW."

By 4:30pm there were more than 70 flood watch warnings in place for northern parts of the state, with 30 of these at the highest level of "prepare to evacuate".

Towns affected include Murwillumbah, Mullumbimby, Byron Bay, Kyogle, Lismore, Lennox Head, Ballina and Casino.

Flood warnings have also been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) for the Tweed and Brunswick rivers, as well as the Wilsons, Richmond, Bellinger, Kalang and Nambucca rivers.

The Clarence, Orara, Macleay, Hastings and the Camden Haven river catchments are also at risk of moderate to major flooding, the BOM has flagged, while the Manning and Gloucester rivers are potentially subject to minor flooding.

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SES Commissioner Michael Wassing anticipates some low-lying communities will receive emergency warnings to evacuate later today.

"Our key message is to prepare your properties or relocate now," he said.

Fifteen evacuation centres have been set up across the region.

The SES has already fielded more than 1,500 calls outs for across the north of the state.

More than 2,000 volunteers have travelled north to help, including members from Ulladulla, Bourke and as far as Broken Hill.

More than 300,000 sandbags had been distributed to the community.

Rainfall totals, rivers rising

The BOM confirmed the cyclone was set to make landfall early on Saturday, with the centre most likely between Noosa and Coolangatta.

More than 150mm of rain has already been recorded in the Dorrigo area in the 24 hours to Thursday morning, while other regions near Mullumbimby have received more than 100mm.

"We are seeing the rivers respond and we are still expecting more rainfall," BOM's manager of decision support services Jane Golding said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the community still needed to take caution despite the cyclone now expected to hit slightly later than initially forecast.

"This will reach landfall and there's a risk that in slowing up it will increase intensity," he said.

"We expect three separate hazards: storm surge and high tides along coastal communities and severe winds as Alfred approaches the coast, then rainfall and potential flash and riverine flooding right into the weekend.

"These are tough times, but Australians are tough people, and we're resilient people."

Mr Albanese confirmed the federal government would provide early recovery grants to affected councils in both New South Wales and Queensland.

Meanwhile, more than 1,500 homes from Coffs Harbour to the Queensland border lost power yesterday evening.

Mr Minns said on Thursday morning that Essential Energy crews were also on stand-by.

The premier said he did not have an expected date or time for when power would be returned but that teams would do its "best to get them returned as soon as possible".

More than 230 schools across the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast have closed from Taree to the Queensland border to the Kyogle Shire.

Residents in the Tweed Shire are being warned to stock up on bottled water amid concerns salt water surges will impact the water supply.

Tweed Mayor Chris Cherry advised people they should have 10 litres each per day stored at home in case the water supply is compromised.

Meanwhile, some surfers have braved the massive swells that have battered the coast, but there are concerns for coastal erosion in low-lying areas.

Businesses begin to pack up shop

Businesses across the region have begun preparing to evacuate as Alfred creeps closer to land.

Following warnings issued last night, Natasha Garred and her team have been working since 6am to pack up their Lismore fruit and veg shop, which takes about 10 hours.

"We wait until the last minute because we've got perishables and people need to eat food, so we try and clear out as much as we can," she said.

Other hospitality businesses also made the decision to delay evacuation to supply last-minute provisions.

Bakers at Wirlitzer Bakery in Woodburn, on the bank of the Richmond River, started five hours early to ensure their customers had enough food.

"We are doing bulk bread and bulk pies," owner Sandra Peters said on Wednesday.

"So people can come in early and grab their stock so they have enough for home."

During the 2022 floods, Woodburn was cut-off for five days after the swollen Richmond River inundated the town.

"There is a fear in the community, you can feel all the nerves," Ms Peters said.

"There are a lot of people leaving town."

Concern for rough sleepers

There are also serious concerns for rough sleepers living in the impact zone.

Byron Bay Mayor Sarah Ndiaye said she was worried there is inadequate accommodation to house the region's considerable homeless population and she had contacted NSW Homelessness Minister Rose Jackson to ask for more help.

Further south, in Coffs Harbour, homeless services like Pete's Place are opening their doors to provide a safe space for people sleeping rough.

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