Massive storm swell crashing into Newquay tonight

Last nights weather was reporting that today would be the 'Perfect Storm' with a massive swell forecast winds hurtling the sea up the coast and into rivers and towns and rain and hail added to the mix created a spectacular day to be living in Cornwall.

Although thankfully the storm didn't quite work together to cause mass destruction it still caused havoc across the county.

I was woken just before 7am to the rumbling sounds of thunder very close by and within seconds the gap in the curtains was illuminating the room from the lightening outside. I work in an office near Falmouth so had a good drive ahead of me and setting off following the A30 westbound I was heading towards the darkest of clouds. This cloud was like nothing I've seen before, Probably because i'm too scared to go out in storms but this morning I had to get to work. As a drove along the A30 through the middle of Cornwall I could see a glimpse of blue sky to the south of the county but to the North and towards Newquay the sky was a mix of dark deep purple, with hints of pink coming up underneath from the rising sun. As I drove further the cloud engulfed the area and it was getting darker and darker. Then there was the loudest clap of thunder and a streak of lightening in front of me, letting out a shrill as I hate lightening I gripped the steering wheel tightly and continued my journey into work. More lightening burst across the skies and then the heavens opened, I can only describe what i experienced as a cloud burst, literally in a split second it went from dry to completely white roads covered in hail. The hail was not only so fast falling that it completely covered the road but it also created torrents of thick white ice rushing down the gulleys in the road.

Once i had got through what can only be described as the eye of the storm I phoned my partner as with terrifiying lightening and epic hail I wanted to let him know I was ok and continuing to the office, the floods on the A39 near Perranarworthal seemed a breeze after what I had just driven through. In the safety and comfort of the office at work I settled down to a days work not thinking to much about the impending drive home. 

Luckily apart from a strong wind howling the weather seamed to have calmed down and I made my way home. But with the massive swell and high tide due I couldn't resist taking a detour on the way home to check out the beach in Newquay to see what such a large swell looked like. 

Arriving in Newquay and getting close to the beach it was like scenes of a football match, there were cars parked everywhere physically possible there were crowds on the cliffs looking down at the beach and as I left my car to walk towards the action I was hit with the loudest roar of the ocean below. Finding a safe distance well above the beach I watched in awe as the 20 foot swell smashed over the railings towards the sealife centre in Newquay. Most people were watching from above and even though the area was cordoned off with police tape there were still a few people that were too close to the breaking waves for my liking. With only my mobile phone to hand I captured a few pictures before heading home to the dry, warm safe home to sit out the rest of the storm. 

I know the news reports suggest that the storm wasn't as bad as they had predicted and the warnings had been listened to and although some places like Looe and St Ives had flooded people had received enough warnings and everyone is safe. However checking the local swell forecast for the coming days suggests that Mondays swell could be the biggest the UK has ever seen! 

 

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