An amber weather warning for strong winds has been issued for the Isle of Wight, with structural damage to buildings and significant travel disruption expected.
Islanders are being warned that a spell of very strong winds will develop on Saturday night and continue throughout Sunday and into the early hours of Monday, bringing gusts of 60-70mph across the Island with 70-80mph expected in more exposed hilly or coastal areas. Some areas may well see winds in excess of 80mph.
Forecasters at IW Met Service say that there is the risk of falling tree debris alongside the risk of structural damage to properties and buildings.
Current projections show the peak of the wind to be between 06:00 and 16:00 on Sunday. There will also be rainfall throughout the day, adding to the adverse weather conditions.
On the sea, swell peaks in excess of 8 metres are expected at times which means the Island’s coastline will be battered by extremely large waves. It seems likely that a small to moderate storm surge will also develop of around 0.5 meters and this, combined with moderately high spring tides, may lead to some minor flooding along Solent coasts as well as significantly over-topping waves along the West and South coasts of the Island.
The East coast will also see some large waves but somewhat smaller in height leading to less of an impact, although still potentially giving some rather dangerous walking conditions along promenades, particularly between Shanklin and Sandown.
The amber warning is in force from 22:00 on Saturday until 06:00 on Monday.
Before the storm
• Secure loose objects such as wheelie bins, garden furniture or anything else that could be blown into windows and other glazing and break them
• Close and securely fasten doors and windows, particularly those on the windward side of the house, and especially large doors such as those on garages
• Park vehicles in a garage, if available; otherwise keep them clear of buildings, trees, walls and fences
• Be aware of potential hazards nearby
During the storm
• Stay indoors as much as possible
• If you do go out, try not to walk or shelter close to buildings and trees
• Keep away from the sheltered side of boundary walls and fences – if these structures fail, they will collapse on this side
• Do not go outside to repair damage while the storm is in progress
• If possible, enter and leave your house through doors in the sheltered side, closing them behind you
• Open internal doors only as needed, and close them behind you
• Take care when driving on exposed routes such as bridges, or high open roads, delay your journey or find alternative routes if possible
• Slow down and be aware of side winds, particular care should be taken if you are towing or are a high sided vehicle
• Do not drive unless your journey is really necessary
Island Echo will be bringing you live updates throughout Sunday with all the latest traffic and travel information, emerging stories and all the latest from weather forecasters.
It’s just another low pressure the same as we’ve had for years!! That’s nature!
Why the big breaking news story!! To scare people!! Fantastic weather report!!!!!!
Saying something that people ‘don’t’ wish to hear is unpopular amongst some and likely to be banned from contributors.
So perhaps admin could take a leaf from their own ideas and ‘pretty up’ any bad weather reports or news by saying most houses will suffer no damage, and the waves might not be too high, otherwise the ‘timid’ may not sleep well.
At least add the number of a cheap shrink to the footer.
Ok, so based on your logic there should be no warnings or alerts when wind gusts of 70-80mph or higher are expected? What happens when someone takes a casual drive and a tree falls on them, or a lorry driver drives along a high route and it blows over or off the road, or perhaps someone takes a nice Sunday stroll along the beach and without realising how severe it is gets swept off the beach and out to sea! Its even worse if you live in a really sheltered location and dont often check the weather before you go out.
Your comment is utterly ridiculous.
East Wight, I was, if, as you ‘clearly haven’t’ noticed having a sarcastic dig at how the snowflakes on here never wish to hear anything ‘scary’ ‘nasty’ EVEN when it is the truth.
I was pointing out that as Admin are considering banning such posters who are NOT afraid to address the serious issues on Wight which the naïve and weaker readers object too, are thinking about banning by the counting the thumbs down etc.
IF so, then the ‘echo’ themselves should perhaps, looks at their ‘over dramatic’ headlines on the weather which can alarm the ‘timid’.
The sarc, was in the ‘they could pretty it up’ remark.
Remove your biased blinkers and try to understand
Look out it’ll knock your hat off
These things have to be reported, but some common sense should be applied to the reporting. I know of one old lady who has gone into panic mode over the reports.
Amber warnings are not issued lightly and this is only the second one since 2016. The elderly lady should be aware of the potential risks and make some light preparations just in case.
It is entirely plausible that the power may go off, or there is damage to property. Simple things like bringing in the bins can be really helpful.
An amber warning means ‘be prepared’.
Echo Author.
I like most fully appreciate you have a duty to warn the public, and have to cover every eventuality and risk, especially as the Island has some very old, and many poorly educated to cater for.
My point was not so much the warning, but the fact that if the general public have an overly negative view on say an accident cause, then the snowflakes thumb down, only wishing the hear kind but dull, pointless comments such as ‘Rip’ or ‘Hope no one was hurt’, etc, which goes ‘without saying’.
So when one reads a forecast giving advice to close internal doors from room to room, etc, it does seem to be over cautious to the point of almost ‘scare mongering’.
Hence the old adage, Sauce for the Goose…. sprang to my mind.
I enjoy your articles and everyone’s comments, insulting or not, as we are all very different.
ADD a filter button is my advice, so peeps can blank out individual known ‘worrying posters’, everyone is then a winner. And freedom of speech is maintained.
Absolutely right Island Echo, There is unfortunately an element of individuals who are turning these comments opportunities in to reason to pass unwarranted, unnecessary and inflammatory comments, that are becoming relentless and are becoming offensive to the reasonable people of this Island, be they elderly, unemployed, disabled or the less fortunate.
It’s nice to be warned about storm do people remember the Micheal fish saying that there was not a storm coming then looked what happened
wagwan my gstar you got th e pumpy