Tornado warning for Sussex as county braced for strong winds

A Met Office yellow weather warning for wind is in place from 11am until 3am tomorrow, with gusts along the south coast expected to reach up to 75mph in some places.

The weather service has warned of possible disruption to road, rail, air and ferry transport, along with a chance of power outages and delays on exposed routes.

The storm system has prompted the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (Torro) to issue its own warning, with a risk of tornadoes in South East England later this evening.

Paul Knightley of Torro said that the organisation is “keeping an eye on the cold front” as it makes its way across the country and said the stormy conditions could “perhaps bring a risk of a few brief tornadoes”.

“The most active portion looks to be over central and southern parts of Britain,” he added.

The Met Office has advised people to check journeys before travelling due to possible disruption, be aware of large waves along the coast, and prepare for possible power cuts by gathering torches, batteries and other essential items.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: “An active cold front will move east across England and Wales during Saturday and into Sunday and will be characterised by strong winds and some heavy rain.”

Gusts of 45-50mph are expected widely, with stronger guests likely near coasts in the west and south, reaching up to 75mph in places.

Sussex has been hit by a number of tornadoes over the last few months.

Two tornadoes struck Littlehampton and Wick within[1] weeks of each other[2] in the autumn, with another striking Lancing and Sompting last month[3].

Tornadoes are a rapidly rotating column of air that reaches between the base of a storm cloud and the ground.

They form in very unsettled weather conditions as part of severe thunderstorms.

Around 30 tornadoes a year are reported in the UK. While they are typically small and short-lived, they can cause structural damage if they pass over a built-up area.

References

  1. ^ within (www.theargus.co.uk)
  2. ^ weeks of each other (www.theargus.co.uk)
  3. ^ Lancing and Sompting last month (www.theargus.co.uk)

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