Strong winds, with some gusts up to hurricane level, are forecast for the islands tomorrow night.
The Met Office has said we can expect “gusts up to force 12, and heavy rainfall” from around 21:00 on Thursday.
The windy weather is expected to worsen throughout tomorrow, with the wind speed building from around 18:00 before hitting a peak around three hours later.
Boatowners across the Bailiwick should check and secure their moorings while garden furniture and other outdoor items should be tied down.
In Guernsey, kerbside rubbish and recycling collections may be cancelled and bus services may finish early as a result with further announcements expected to come from the States, parishes, and Stagecoach tomorrow.
A States of Guernsey spokesperson told Express that officers from across the public sector met today to put plans in place ahead of the storm reaching our shores.
Those plans will be finalised once the weather forecast has been issued tomorrow morning when the reality of what we are expecting will be clearer.
The spokesperson said that “current projections are that the island could experience serious storm weather”.
“On that basis, we are expecting to ask islanders to stay at home tomorrow evening and overnight for their safety,” they said.
Any events due to be held on States owned sites are likely to be cancelled if tomorrow’s weather forecast remains as severe as it currently is expected to be. Other event organisers are also being encouraged to postpone or cancel their plans.
Guernsey Athletics has already cancelled its scheduled training sessions with other organisations expected to follow.
“We have sought to give islanders early notification of the likely actions that will be taken, however these will be confirmed tomorrow, and we will provide regular updates throughout the storm,” confirmed the States spokesperson.
“Please follow States of Guernsey and Bailiwick Law Enforcement social media for these updates.”
In Alderney, people are also asked to stay home as the wind strength peaks on Thursday evening and the forecast strong gusts continue into Friday.
“We’d also ask people to secure their properties; check their gardens for anything that needs to be secured to reduce the risk of flying debris,” added a States spokesperson for Alderney.
The Alderney Harbour Authority has said that in order to reduce the risk of exposure to the severe wind and tidal conditions, public access will be restricted to the Harbour Facility from 16:00 tomorrow afternoon.
This means that the Commercial Quay gates will be locked and vehicular access to the Admiralty Breakwater will be controlled by barriers placed on the western end of the Glacis road. Access to the inner harbour will be controlled by barriers at all entrances and exits.
Before that comes in, the States of Alderney has asked boat owners to check that their vessels are secure.
All residents are asked to avoid coastal areas until the forecast storm has subsided.