12th April 2023. Many of the National Coastwatch Institution stations in Wales and the South-West have been battered by high winds caused by Storm Noa.

Gusts of 96.9mph (86 knots) were recorded by the volunteer watchkeepers at NCI Needles as Storm Noa battered the Isle of Wight, while Cornwall  Live confirmed on their website that the NCI stations at Cape Cornwall and Gwennap Head had reported gusts of 95 mph during the day. A little later in the day the NCI station at Porthcawl recorded a gust of 70knots, which on the Beaufort Scale equates to a Force 12 Hurricane! 

A spokesperson for NCI Stepper Point said “It’s really rough out there today so please stay home and not risk putting the SAR at risk as well. If you do ventures out, please be particularly careful not to get too near to cliff edges, one gust of wind and disaster can strike. Our watchkeepers will be watching until 17:00 and hoping that they will not have report any incidents. The maximum wind gust so far today has been 85mph

 The photograph shows the waves at NCI Cape Cornwall.