Parts of southeast Queensland and northern NSW have been placed on a cyclone watch, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says, as latest projections suggest Oma will approach the coast this weekend.

A cyclone watch is issued for communities when the onset of gales is expected within 48 hours but not in the first 24 hours.

While Oma is not likely to make landfall for now, the category 2 storm is still powerful enough to affect the huge area running from Bundaberg through to Brisbane and the northern NSW town of Ballina.

“Communities within this area may begin to experience gale force winds within the next 24-48 hours as the cyclone approaches. There is still uncertainty in the forecast track from Saturday,” meteorologist Andrea Peace says in a video update this afternoon.

“The last few model runs are showing the likely movements on Saturday are still northwest but they are now keeping the system a little further offshore. Having said that, a very close approach or a coastal crossing does still remain possible next week.

“And regardless of the exact track, significant marine impacts are expected from today as large waves begin to arrive around the northern NSW coast and also the Queensland coast south of Seventeen Seventy.

“These hazardous conditions are expected to continue to build over the coming days with powerful northeasterly swell expected to batter the coastal areas across the weekend."

The coastal areas can expect abnormally high tides and possibly flooding of low lying areas and beach erosion.

A flood watch is currently in place for coastal communities between Gladstone and the NSW border.

“Gale force winds are possible for exposed coastal beaches, combined with heavy rainfall. Forecast rainfall totals are largely dependent on the cyclone track, and there still are a wide range of scenarios at this point,” BOM Queensland State Manager Bruce Gunn said.

It is unusual for tropical cyclones to track so far south along the east coast but it is not unprecedented.

Cyclone Nancy, the last storm to directly impact Brisbane, did not make landfall. It grazed the coast near Byron Bay before moving offshore. Parts of the Gold Coast and adjacent hinterland suffered coastal erosion and flooding.