People and businesses across Cornwall and Devon are making preparations ahead of Storm Austen, the first named storm of the UK season, which the Met Office says will bring gusts of up to 80mph (130km/h) and heavy rain from Thursday night, according to the BBC. Two weather warnings have been issued, with disruption expected across the two counties as well as parts of Wales, England's south coast, Wiltshire and Somerset.
Why it matters
The amber warning for Cornwall, in force from 03:00 to 10:00 on Friday, lists power cuts and damage to buildings among the possible consequences, the BBC reports. The Met Office has advised people to prepare to protect their property and themselves from injury. For coastal communities and hospitality businesses still repairing damage from earlier storms this year, the forecast has prompted a round of practical precautions rather than complacency.
Warnings in force and what they cover
A yellow warning for wind runs from 00:00 to 14:00 BST across Devon, Cornwall, south Wales, England's south coast, Wiltshire and Somerset. According to the Met Office, transport disruption is likely and damaging winds are possible in some areas. For Cornwall, that warning is raised to amber between 03:00 and 10:00 on Friday.
Cornwall Council has urged residents to get ready before the storm arrives and to stay away from exposed coastal areas on Thursday evening and Friday, warning that strong winds combined with large waves could make conditions extremely dangerous.
Businesses recall January damage
At The Watering Hole, a bar on Perranporth Beach in Cornwall, staff have been securing parts of the building after the venue was damaged during Storm Goretti in January. Jamie-Lee Job told the BBC that several glass panels were lost in that storm when wind lifted them and sent them through a roof canopy. She described the experience as frightening and said the bar had survived many storms but had underestimated that one. This time, she said, the team is doing everything it can to make the building secure and is hoping the roof stays in place.
Elsewhere in Perranporth, residents have been stockpiling essentials in case power is lost. Chris Eves told the BBC he had plenty of torches, candles and flasks. Another woman walking on the beach said she had candles, a rechargeable radio and lights, a gas-fired pizza oven and was considering a primus stove, and was keeping her freezer free of expensive food so a power cut would not cost her much.
In Devon, Josie Tennant, operations manager for the Royal George Group, which runs the Pebbleridge Kitchen near Northern Burrows Country Park, said storm preparation there has become a familiar routine after last winter. She told the BBC the site is very exposed, so furniture is moved against the building to limit how far anything can travel, and shutters are lowered to stop rain being driven inside. The team also watches for red alerts, and she said the manager on site knows what to do to keep the building, staff and customers safe.
Camborne Rugby Club said it would close its grounds for at least 24 hours from 15:00 on Thursday, with the clubhouse shutting at about 22:00.
Coastal and road safety
The RNLI has asked people visiting the shoreline to take extreme care, particularly along exposed cliffs and seafronts. Simon McCarthy, coxswain at Appledore RNLI, told the BBC his crew is ready to launch at any time and is adding extra lashings to its boats while keeping watch on the storm. He explained that an amber warning means the all-weather lifeboats are more likely to be needed, and that inshore boats have limits, so crew availability has to be assured.
Devon County Council said it will put additional staff in its Network Operations Control Centre to track conditions and coordinate the response to weather-related incidents. Councillor Dan Thomas, the cabinet member for highways, said the council is preparing for a spell of unsettled weather and encouraged anyone travelling around Devon to follow the forecast and plan ahead. He noted that because many trees are still in leaf after the dry weather, there is a risk of fallen trees and branches on the roads.
Preparations have also been under way in Jersey as the storm approaches, the BBC reported separately.
The Met Office's yellow wind warning for Devon, Cornwall, south Wales, the south coast, Wiltshire and Somerset is due to lift at 14:00 BST, with the amber warning for Cornwall ending at 10:00 on Friday; residents should watch for further Met Office updates and local travel advice as the storm passes.
