Storm Austen is currently at its peak in Guernsey, with wind speeds of force 8 and gusts of up to 60mph. The top windspeed from the storm has likely already been recorded at 05:41am at 76mph.
Wind should ease slightly by midday, but still remain strong this afternoon, and heavy, intermittent rainfall will continue throughout today.

There have been no serious incidents resulting from the storm, although emergency services have responded to a number of reports of fallen trees this morning, the majority of which have already been cleared either by fire crews or tree surgeons. Crews also responded to reports of structural damage at a private property in the early hours of this morning.

Northside is currently closed because of tiles coming loose on a building.

Thank you to the public, as roads have remained largely clear which has allowed services to quickly respond to reports as and when needed.

We will continue to monitor the situation as the storm passes over the islands, and we’d continue to encourage people to take sensible precautions until wind speeds have returned to normal levels. ... See MoreSee Less

In preparation for Storm Austen, the ambulance service in Guernsey and Alderney put arrangements in place which have been continually reviewed based on the latest information. The safety and protection of patients, staff and volunteers will continue to be our priority.

Operational changes may be needed during the storm, and at times there may be delays to ambulance responses. For medical emergencies the public is advised to call 999 in the normal way. Calls will be triaged with the priority being given to life-threatening cases.

A paramedic officer has been stationed at the Joint Emergency Services Control Centre (JESCC) to assist with clinical triage. For some less urgent calls, medical advice from a clinician may be given over the phone.

Additional ambulance crews and Operational Commanders have been on duty overnight and into Friday.

The Non-emergency Patient Transfer Service (NEPTS) is delaying early cases. Any patients whose journey is not essential will be contacted by the NEPTS team and the journey rescheduled.

For the latest information please follow the States of Guernsey social media pages. ... See MoreSee Less

Islanders are encouraged to continue checking the dedicated Storm Austen page for the latest information: gov.gg/stormausten

This is the best place for up-to-date information about States of Guernsey services and any disruption. Many services are making localised arrangements, and these are being added to the page as they are confirmed.

Some community care visits tomorrow morning may be rearranged to a different time if they aren’t urgent. The community care teams will still be out visiting people, but visits may be later than usual if roads are closed or there are travel delays. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

As previously announced, States customer counters will be closed tomorrow morning while the worst of the storm passes, reopening from 12noon. This includes Health & Social Care's Le Vauquiedor Office, which will be closed to the public until 12noon. Other Health & Social Care reception and counter services may also have changes to their morning opening, depending on local arrangements. The lunchtime Bosom Buddies session at the library has been cancelled.

Most public-facing services are expected to return to normal from 12noon.

Most planned (elective) operations are going ahead as scheduled.

The Courts are expected to run as normal tomorrow, and the Greffe customer counter will be open as usual. Unless contacted directly otherwise, people should turn up for court.

Generally, islanders are encouraged to use common sense, avoid unnecessary travel during the peak of the storm, and take extra care when outside. ... See MoreSee Less

Storm Austen should arrive over the Channel Islands this evening. The Met Office has issued a red wind warning this morning in advance of winds starting to pick up.

The forecast shows that the worst of the storm will pass right over the islands early tomorrow morning, between 6am and 11am, and wind speeds could reach Force 10, with the potential for gusts of higher winds.

This brings with it the risk of flying debris and, because of the wind direction and the very dry summer, the risk of trees being uprooted and falling is heightened.

While Storm Austen is still expected to be less severe than Storm Goretti at the start of the year, the peak of the storm will be during the morning when people would be usually commuting.

This brings with it additional risk. As such Guernsey’s Emergency Services have advised that the roads should be kept as clear as possible in case they need to respond to an incident, and as such, the States of Guernsey has taken the decision to close all States schools tomorrow (Friday 23rd October).

From a Health & Social Care perspective, appointments will be going ahead, but if your appointment is cancelled for any reason, staff will reach out to you directly.

We would also encourage islanders to take all sensible precautions. Avoid unnecessary outdoor activity over night and tomorrow morning. Ensure you have taken measures to protect your property, securing things like outdoor furniture at your house and closing windows, and if you have a boat, checking its moorings before the storm arrives.

If you are on the roads, please drive cautiously and be considerate of others and the conditions around you.

There will be travel disruption both at the harbour and airport, and we would advise islanders to check in with their travel providers for more information.

The worst of the storm should have passed by around midday tomorrow, although winds will remain high into the weekend.

We will continue to monitor the situation regarding the weather on Friday and on the weekend, and will provide updates as the situation progresses. The latest weather information can be found at Guernsey weather forecast | Jersey Met.

For more information, go to gov.gg/StormAusten ... See MoreSee Less