Warning: Amber
To expect: Wind
Affected areas: South West England
Start time estimate: Thursday 5pm
End time estimate: Thursday 11pm
The Met Office has issued an Amber wind warning for South West England for Thursday, with conditions linked to Storm Goretti.
The region will be affected by high winds, starting at around 5pm on Thursday. The strong gusts will continue lashing the area until 11pm.
The Amber warning for wind was announced at 11:10am on Wednesday, January 7.
A Met Office forecast said: “Storm Goretti may bring a short period of exceptionally strong northwesterly winds to the Isles of Scilly and parts of Cornwall on Thursday evening, with peak gusts potentially of 80-90 mph in exposed areas. This will depend on the exact track of Storm Goretti, and should the low pressure system track further south then the risk of these very strong winds would reduce. This system has been named by Meteo France as the strongest winds associated with Storm Goretti are most likely over northern France.”
What to expect
Flying debris is likely and could lead to Injuries or danger to life; Probably some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs; Longer journey times and cancellations likely, as road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected; Some roads and bridges likely to close; There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage; Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.
What should you do?
Driving in these conditions can be dangerous, for yourself and other road users. If you must drive, you can do this more safely by taking the following actions:
• Drive slowly to minimise the impact of wind gusts
• Be aware of high sided vehicles/caravans on more exposed roads and be cautious when overtaking
• Give cyclists, motorcyclists, lorries, and buses more room than usual
Being outside in high winds makes you more vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors as much as possible. If you do go out, try not to walk, or shelter, close to buildings and trees.
In advance of high winds, check for loose items outside your home and secure them. Items include: bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.
If you are on the coast, stay safe during stormy weather by being aware of large waves. Even from the shore large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea.
Take care if walking near cliffs; know your route and keep dogs on a lead. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It’s easy to do: consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.
Stay up to date with the weather forecast for your area and follow advice from emergency services and local authorities.
For further details see Met Office Warnings & Advice.
What is an amber weather warning?
The Met Office has three categories of weather warning, depending on the likely impact of severe weather and also how likely it is to strike in a particular area.
A yellow warning is issued when weather conditions are expected to disrupt travel and traffic and may impact on daily routines but are not likely to pose a risk to life or property.
An amber warning is more severe and advises people to think about changing their plans to minimise the risk.
A red warning means weather conditions are expected to be dangerous with widespread damage to property and a risk to life, with the public usually advised to avoid travelling.
The Amber weather alert for wind will remain in place until 11pm on Thursday.