MEDIA RELEASE
15 FEBRUARY 2022
Storm Eunice warning for Kent
Local residents and people needing to travel in or through Kent later this week should plan for potential disruption, Kent County Council (KCC) said today.
The move follows a Met Office warning that Storm Eunice is expected on Friday to generate a period of very strong winds across parts of England, including the South East.
A yellow wind weather warning is in force from the early hours to 9pm on the 18th February and the Met Office says where gusts are strongest, possibly as strong as 70-80mph, flying debris may pose a danger to life.
There could also be fallen trees, damage to buildings and homes, with roofs and loose tiles blown off, and power lines brought down, interrupting supplies.
Delays and cancellations on the transport network are also possible and the Environment Agency says people should steer clear of coastal paths and promenades because of large waves and powerful spray.
With most COVID travel restrictions lifted, and more families on the move during the half-term break, Kent County Council Senior Highways Manager Toby Howe said it was important people keep in touch with traffic, travel and weather updates to ensure they stay safe.
Toby Howe said: “As always when we are talking about the weather, there’s still some uncertainty over timings. Eunice is a storm system which has yet to develop out to the South West over the Atlantic through Thursday.
“But the Met Office is saying the main impacts will be on Friday with wind speeds of around 60-70mph, possibly 80mph in exposed and coastal areas, gradually easing later in the day.
“It means driving conditions could be dangerous at times, especially for high-sided vehicles, and some road, bridge and railway line closures may be necessary. It’s also not a day for wave watching and storm selfies at the beach.
“When the Met Office names a storm we all need to take notice and follow simple steps to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and not put others, including emergency services, unnecessarily at risk.”
Steps you can take to stay safe in a storm include:
- KEEPING UP TO DATE with the latest weather forecast and weather warnings – by visiting the Met Office website or following the Met Office’s social media channels, including on Twitter via @metoffice, @metofficeSEEng and @metofficeUK. The key hashtags to follow are #weatherready #weatherwarnings and #StormEunice. You can also follow the Met Office on You Tube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok
- FOLLOWING THE MET OFFICE’S SEASONAL ADVICE – read ‘How to stay safe in a storm’
- FOLLOWING NATIONAL HIGHWAYS’ ADVICE – on carrying out vehicle checks and travelling in high winds
- CHECKING your route #EverySingleJourney if your trip is essential – for where to go for the latest traffic and travel updates in Kent visit Kent County Council’s Travel & Transport page here
- ALLOWING extra time if you must travel to get to your destination and preparing your car by packing essentials and checking tyres, lights, fuel and water – because driving conditions in storms can be difficult and possibly dangerous; you may experience delays and should take steps to avoid your vehicle unavoidably breaking down.
Listen to the Met Office’s latest podcast about this week’s storms, including Storm Eunice, here