21/10/2026
Our office will be closed on Friday with all of our staff working from home. We will still be contactable via our office phone line & emails.
Storm Austen will pass over the Channel Islands late on Thursday and Friday this week, and a red wind warning is expected to be issued by the Met Office ahead of its arrival.
Wind speeds are expected to reach force 8 and 9, with the potential for storm force 10 and stronger gusts during its peak at approximately 7am on Friday morning, when people will be getting ready to head out to work or school.
It is important to note that Storm Austen is not expected to be on the same scale as Storm Goretti or Storm Ciaran, both of which have hit the Bailiwick in recent years. The wind speeds are expected to be an order of magnitude lower, however will still be high. We would strongly encourage people to be mindful of the weather when planning their day.
The States of Guernsey is carefully monitoring the latest weather projections and will tomorrow issue updates regarding the possible impacts of the storm, when the picture is clearer. This will include decisions around schools, bus services and routine appointments.
Some disruption is inevitable, however. Kerbside recycling has been cancelled for tomorrow (Thursday) night, and there will be travel disruption at the airport and the harbours. We would encourage people to speak to their carriers for more information about this.
