Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video "Dangerous surf conditions are forecast about exposed beaches along the south-east Queensland coast south of Sandy Cape, including the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, today," the Bureau of Meteorology warned on Friday morning. "These conditions are expected to continue into the weekend. "Water levels on the high tide are likely to continue to exceed the highest tide of the year ... by around one metre at beachfront locations exposed to wave action.

"This has the potential to be a significant beach erosion event, given the combination of the increasing surf, abnormally high tides and the fact that these conditions should persist for a few days. "Locally damaging wind gusts in excess of 90 kilometres per hour are likely about the exposed coast and islands between Sandy Cape and the Queensland-NSW border today and Saturday. "These damaging wind gusts may extend to the southern border ranges, inland to about Springbrook, later today. The big swell whipped up by TC Oma mixed with abnormally high tides at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast. Credit:Dave Hunt - AAP "Locations which may be affected include the Gold Coast, Maroochydore, Moreton Island, Noosa Heads, Caloundra, Rainbow Beach, Fraser Island and Springbrook."

Forecasters expect Cyclone Oma to keep impacting the Queensland coast into early next week as the weather bureau struggles to predict its path amid the effects of other forces. The Bureau of Meteorology was urging Sunshine Coast residents to brace as they were likely to cop the brunt. Loading Brisbane was also put on notice, despite the bureau expecting TC Oma, the first cyclone to threaten to strike the city in almost three decades, to turn northwards at the last minute. Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Lauren Pattie said forecasters were keeping the warning zone broad until they could better gauge where the cyclone would move.

"It’s a little bit tricky in that there’s a couple of competing factors that makes it quite difficult determining exactly where that track will go," she said. "There's a few subtle features but the main driver is what we call a mid-level ridge to its east and it is something in the upper atmosphere that is pushing it to the upper west. "There’s a high-pressure system moving in and as Oma slows down a little bit it's strengthening and keeping it just a little bit offshore." Cyclone preparations in full swing on the Gold Coast, with the construction of a sea wall to try to reduce erosion. Credit:Dave Hunt - AAP Ms Pattie said depending on how strongly the ridge developed, it could determine the cyclone's impact.

"It's all a bit uncertain until Saturday, when we should have a better idea of where it is heading, but it is all hinging on how close the cyclone comes to the coasts," she said. "The closer it gets, the heavier rainfall we will receive." Gale-force winds were expected to hit coastal parts of Queensland from Friday, particularly the islands and exposed coasts. All 34 Gold Coast beaches have been closed for the next three days as forecasters predict up to 300 millimetres of rain.

"We’ve already seen the seas and swells start to pick up with the buoys recording two-to-three-metre waves just offshore this morning," she said. "We do expect this to increase ... we can expect to see waves from four-to-six metres and even higher over the weekend." Events along the Queensland coast are being cancelled and holidaymakers are rescheduling travel plans as dangerous conditions are expected to continue into early next week. Brisbane man Henrik Vesander said he has been left in the lurch by a Moreton Island ferry operator who has refused to let passengers re-book their trip, despite the impending cyclone. "I find it really unbelievable and disappointing. Our accommodation provider has given us credit to re-book at another time but the ferry will not. We are not requesting a refund we just want to re-book," he said.