People across Cornwall are being urged to take precautions and only travel if absolutely necessary after an amber weather warning was issued for Friday, February 18.
Forecasters from the Met Office have warned that Storm Eunice is expected to cause significant disruption, peaking between 3am and 9pm.
The storm is likely to be as powerful as those that affected Cornwall in 2014, while forecasters have warned it still has the potential to strengthen further.
The whole of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly - in particular the Cornish north coast - can expect:
- extremely high winds, with gusts of up to 80/90mph even 100mph around the coast and beaches especially around high tide
- widespread and major disruption to travel, with all forms of travel impacted (road, rail, air, sea, ferry)
- structural damage
- mobile homes being overturned
- communications and power outages
- fallen trees
- very hazardous conditions for the public
- temporary structures (e.g., trampolines) being lifted and blown onto roads and railways.
The worst of the winds are set to coincide with high spring tides along the Cornish coastline at around 6am, leading to overtopping and possible flooding. People are urged to stay back from cliffs and seafronts due to the danger of large waves.
The areas expected to be worst affected include:
- St Ives Harbour
- St Ives, Porthminster Beach
- Portreath
- Perranporth
- Porth
- Mawgan Porth
- Polzeath
- Port Isaac
- Widemouth Bay
Residents are urged to pay close attention to the weather forecast over the next two days and are urged to only travel on Friday if absolutely necessary.
You can view the current weather warnings at the Met Office's website.
For advice and guidance on protecting yourself and your home from flooding, please call the Environment Agency’s Floodline on 0345 988 1188.
If you wish to report damage to roads or pavements that is causing an immediate danger, please call the council on 0300 1234 222.
If you find yourself in a situation where you believe you are in danger, please call 999.
