Penzance - Ouch!

[Graham Easterling]

The strongest gust I've ever recorded in Penzance is 81mph. I'm rather hoping the model has got a bit over excited!

All trains out of Penzance now cancelled until tomorrow morning, at least. Quite a lot of people commute to Truro by train from Penzance, getting home may prove challenging.

Graham

Penzance

Graham

Penzance

[jack.h...@gmail.com]

That sounds a little bit serious.

I'm still stuck in hre.  Getting out to the car would be too hazardous for me.

With a maximum so far today of minus 1°C, not sure I'd want to be out in any case.

Jack

[Graham Easterling]

Already been uo to 82mph at Gwennap Head, but that location is a bit exceptional, like the Needles. 

THis is a typical exposed location

https://www.landsendweather.info/

Wait 'til it veers NW!

Graham

[Freddie]

Gust of 86 knots (99 mph) on Scilly at 17:28.  Just after the wind veered to the NW.

[jack.h...@gmail.com]

An important point to remember.  The storm was forecast even BEFORE it had begun to form.

Jack

[Graham Easterling]

Excellent forecast. Quickly whilst we have power for the moment, F11 at Lands End. >90mph on coasts exposed to the wind >80mph inland.

Gale of the century.

John Chappell's site near Lands End (but set back from the cliff top)

Graham

[Graham Easterling]

111mph (well  96 knots NNW) gust at the NCI station on top of the Island, St. Ives, a new record. Set at 18:30.

https://www.facebook.com/NCIStives/?locale=en_GB A pparently, the gust on Scilly was also a new record.

It's going to be interesting the morning. Tree surgeons will be in demand!

Luckily, it all developed so close that there isn't a particularly large Atlantic swell (about 6m currently at Sevenstones, but likely to increase) but it's clearly appallingly rough and extremely dangerous. Lets hope the lifeboat isn't called upon..

Graham

Penzance

[jack.h...@gmail.com]

Inverness just now:  METAR EGPE 082050Z VRB01KT (variable direction, 1 knot)

Jack

[Ashley haworth-roberts]

I certainly don't minimise the wind problems in Cornwall such as power outages (or the snow problems in Scotland and elsewhere) but the BBC Ten O'Clock News have just referred to 99 mph gusts as 'hurricane force' - which I thought might be a bit misleading (were they confusing gusts with mean sustained speeds) Force 12 would mean sustained gusts of 74 mph or higher and I was suspecting that Cornwall has experienced Force 11. I've seen a local press article stating ' The most dangerous conditions could be seen at sea, where the Met Office have said that winds could reach ‘Hurricane Force 12’ on the Beaufort scale, the highest category of wind speed'. However from online searches it appears that 99 mph might just be within the Force 12 bracket (St Mary's is virtually 'at sea'. At least the cold should ease by the end of this weekend. 

On Thursday, 8 January 2026 at 13:39:56 UTC Graham Easterling wrote:

[Metman2012]

I watched the Met Office forecast on YouTube last night and it was very detailed, mentioning all the possibilities and nuances of exactly where the strongest winds and snow could be. The BBC reports lost all these nuances and basically said we're doomed - well perhaps not in those words, but certainly implying they would be everywhere.

[Graham Easterling]

I would rather agree with the comments above. It would also be good if the BBC stopped thinking Scilly was a part of Cornwall, and could spell places like Camborne correctly. I also hate the term 'hurricane force gusts' which totally devalues the meaning of 'gale'.

Yes the forecast was excellent, and so well in advance. The outcome here certainly warranted a red warning.  Even in sheltered Penzance /Newlyn there's barely a road of any type open for any distance even in the town. There's certainly know way in or out. Some trees down are so large they are going to take a while to clear.. Some houses are estimated to be without power until Sunday - As for out in the wind.

From John Chappell, near Lands End

Yes they certainly got it right from when it didn't even exist.
93mph is my record since 1998 and it 'felt' on a par with some of the blows in late 70's mid 80's. . . .Mains power has failed now, but the Davis should continue to log and then it’ll all be updated in the morning hopefully

Although the highest official gust speed I've seen in the far SW of mainland Cornwall is 90mph at Culdrose, the north coast of Penwith (Lands End peninsula,)facing into the wind, certainly hit F11. I've seen a gust of 124mph, which I ignored. The highest reliable one is probably the 111mph on the Island St Ives. It would be good if somebody from the MetO could contact them and check out their equipment to see if it's a valid record. (That happened to me when I recorded >90mm in 2 hours).

We seemed to pass virtually through the low centre, and the wind went from a F3-4 to at least F9 in a couple of minutes, you could hear the first gusts before they hit the house. 

Graham

Penzance