London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 16, 2025

Storm Eunice: A guide to preparing

Parts of the UK are braced for Storm Eunice to hit. What practical things can people do to prepare themselves?

A rare red weather warning - the highest level - has been issued in parts of south-west England and south Wales and the Met Office has warned of gusts of up to 90mph.

Before the storm, the Met Office recommends that you secure any loose objects such as garden furniture, ladders or anything else that could be blown around.

Doors and windows should be closed firmly - particularly those to the windward side of the house - and especially large doors, like those on garages. If the property has storm shutters fitted over the windows, make sure these are fastened too.

Close and secure loft trapdoors with bolts. If chimney stacks are tall and in poor condition, make sure any beds are kept away from the areas directly beneath them.

Vehicles should be parked in a garage, if possible - if not, make sure they are clear of trees, buildings and fences.


During the storm, the Met Office advises that you stay indoors as much as possible. Don't go outdoors to repair damage while the storm is in progress.

If you do go out, it says, try not to walk near buildings and trees. The Met Office also recommends that you keep away from the sheltered side of boundary fences and walls - this is the side they will collapse on.

If possible, it adds, try to enter and leave your house through doors on the sheltered side and close them behind you. Internal doors should be opened only when needed and closed behind you.


Drive carefully - that is, if you have to drive at all. "If driving, the best advice is to stick to main roads if possible, slow down and expect the unexpected," says Edmund King, president of the AA.

When driving in strong winds, the motoring group also advises keeping both hands on the wheel, maintaining your distance from other vehicles and avoiding the use of horseboxes and other high-sided trailers.

It also recommends watching out for twigs or small branches in the road - these could mean a fallen tree or large branch is around the next bend - and warns that partially fallen trees can be difficult to spot as they may sit above the sweep of your headlights.

Sean Sidley, AA Patrol of the Year, adds: "Check the travel news before you set off and take particular care where roads dip, for example under railway bridges, which are more likely to flood."


Call your insurer straight away if something has been damaged as a result of the storm. "If you suffer damage to your property, contact your insurer as soon as you can for help and advice," says Laura Hughes of the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Most will have 24-hour emergency helplines.

You might need to arrange temporary emergency repairs to prevent any damage getting worse, but the ABI recommends that you speak to your insurer first. Keep any receipts as they will form part of your claim.

After the storm, the Met Office warns you should be careful not to touch any telephone or electrical cables that have been blown down or that are still hanging.

It also suggests checking on vulnerable neighbours and relatives to make sure they are safe and, if necessary, helping them arrange for any repairs to be carried out.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race
Australia Faces Demographic Risk as Fertility Falls to Record Low
California County Reinstates Mask Mandate in Health Facilities as Respiratory Illness Risk Rises
Israel and Hamas Agree to First Phase of Trump-Brokered Gaza Truce, Hostages to Be Freed
French Political Turmoil Elevates Marine Le Pen as Rassemblement National Poised for Power
China Unveils Sweeping Rare Earth Export Controls to Shield ‘National Security’
The Davos Set in Decline: Why the World Economic Forum’s Power Must Be Challenged
France: Less Than a Month After His Appointment, the New French Prime Minister Resigns
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Hungary will not adopt the euro because the European Union is falling apart.
Sarah Mullally Becomes First Woman Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
US Prosecutors Gained Legal Approval to Hack Telegram Servers
Macron Faces Intensifying Pressure to Resign or Trigger New Elections Amid France’s Political Turmoil
Standard Chartered Names Roberto Hoornweg as Sole Head of Corporate & Investment Banking
UK Asylum Housing Firm Faces Backlash Over £187 Million Profits and Poor Living Conditions
UK Police Crack Major Gang in Smuggling of up to 40,000 Stolen Phones to China
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Trump Proposes Farm Bailout from Tariff Revenues Amid Backlash from Other Industries
FIFA Accuses Malaysia of Forging Citizenship Documents, Suspends Seven Footballers
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
A Dollar Coin Featuring Trump’s Portrait Expected to Be Issued Next Year
Australia Orders X to Block Murder Videos, Citing Online Safety and Public Exposure
Three Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine for Discovery of Immune Self-Tolerance Mechanism
×