IMAGE CREDIT: Hope Fi, Pevensey Bay resident
Storm Angus walked into town yesterday (Saturday 19 November), meaning business and that is exactly what we got.—Bay Life, 20 November 2016
Hit hard. By mid to late evening the wind speeds were up and there was a heavy roaring sound that undulated in and out, as garden trampolines, furniture, tools and ornaments were raised off the ground as the hatches got battened down.
Late evening, an only partly empty watering can was reported as seen flying across a patio. a minor incident, but one of many that sums up the character and strength of the damage done.
As people took to their beds, there were still small sheets of rain thrown into the mix and the noise and gusts were ominous.
The Live Weather display @Pevensey Bay recorded the activity through the night, with their wind speed live graph touching 97mph at 03:45 in the morning.
Pevensey Bay woke Sunday morning with the gusts still pushing at regular intervals like a pulsating irregular heartbeat.
Local Pevensey resident Jayne Howard, summed up the situation with a single phrase. “Storm Angus shakes Fist”.
Local resident, Hope Fi, looking into her garden at the damage wreaked, commented,”ahhh that’s where it went”.
On local social media one woman commented, “let’s hope our caravans are still on their legs!”. Another pointed to a power cut, “no power in BN24 5LD”.
The Eastbourne Hearld pointed to firefighters called to a major blaze on Bognor Regis seafront in the early hours of the morning. “BREAKING NEWS: Storm Angus fans major blaze at Sussex seafront”
Live in Brighton, the storm continued to rage at 08:00am with the reporter on the beach hardly able to be heard as the storm raged around him.
BBC Weather said a ship in the English Channel, 30 miles off Brighton, had recorded a gust of 97mph, while gusts reached 68mph at Berry Head, Devon.
The Isle of Wight, Kent and Sussex are set to see the strongest winds, with a Met Office amber warning in place.
The Met Office said gusts of 70-80mph were possible and residents were warned to be prepared for possible disruption to travel services and power supplies, and some damage to buildings.
With the lights flicking on and off occasionally here in Pevensey Bay, and patio doors still flying open, as well as an assessment of minor damage through the day, residents will be waiting for what is being described as a much calmer afternoon to come.
Wind speeds are predicted to drop, but heavy rain is forecast to follow.
A Met Office yellow “be aware” warning for winds of up to 65mph and heavy rain has also been issued for a larger area stretching from the South West along the coast to south-east and east England, including London, and is valid until 14:00 GMT.
Pevensey Bay: 08:20am, Sunday morning, 20 November, the sun made a brief thin appearance as the raindrops on the windows settled and the wind speed seemed to start dropping. Reason perhaps for the gulls heard to start calling a brief change in circumstances.
