Storm Eunice: Ferocious wind speed hits 122mph as gales stronger than deadly 1987 storm

Gust is ‘provisionally highest ever recorded in England’, says Met Office

Gusts of up to 122mph have been recorded at the Needles on the Isle of Wight during Storm Eunice, the Met Office has said, potentially breaking records for wind speeds in England.

Storm Eunice has brought major disruption to much of the UK and triggered two red weather warnings, meaning a risk of “danger to life”.

Commenting on the high wind speeds, the Met Office said: “The Needles on the Isle of Wight recorded a wind gust of 122 mph this morning. This is provisionally the highest gust ever recorded in England.”

The previous record for England was 118mph recorded in 1979 in Cornwall.

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Friday’s gusts were also higher than the wind speeds reached during the “Great Storm” on the night of 15-16 October 1987, when 115mph gusts were recorded at Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex.

During Storm Arwen in November 2021,wind speeds peaked at 98mph at Brizlee Wood in Northumberland.

People walk past a fallen tree brought down by strong winds during Storm Eunice in London (EPA)

The strongest ever winds in the UK were felt at Cairngorm Summit on 20 March 1986, when a gust of 173 mph was recorded.

However, the Met Office says strong gusts have also been recorded at low levels, typically along exposed coastal areas, including 142 mph on 13 February 1989 at Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire, and 124 mph on 12 January 1974 at Kilkeel in County Down.

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The Isle of Wight is the tenth windiest county in the UK, according to 1981-2010 annual average wind speeds.

Away from coasts and exposed areas, gusts of up to 70mph have been recorded in the village of Middle Wallop near Andover in Hampshire, the Met Office said.

Boscombe Down near Amesbury in Wiltshire has seen wind speeds reach 69mph, while at Little Rissington near Stow-on-the-Wold in Gloucestershire they have hit 68mph.

Wind speeds forced both the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge and M48 Severn Bridge into Wales to close to traffic for what it believed to be the first time in history.

Train operators across Britain have urged passengers to avoid travelling on Friday as emergency 50mph speed limits are in place in many areas, with no trains operating in Wales for the entire day.

A person walks on Seaford Beach, as Storm Eunice hits Seaford and the south coast of England (AP)