![]() Storm Eunice on 17 February 2022 | |
Meteorological history | |
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Formed | 17 February 2022 |
Dissipated | 19 February 2022 |
Extratropical cyclone | |
Highest gusts | 196 km/h (122 mph; 106 kn) at The Needles, Isle of Wight |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities |
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Damage |
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Areas affected | Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom |
Power outages | 3,100,000 at peak[3][4][5][6] |
Part of the 2021–2022 European windstorm season |
Storm Eunice (/ˈjuːnɪs/) (known as Storm Zeynep in Germany and Storm Nora in Denmark) was an extremely powerful extratropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds that was part of the 2021–2022 European windstorm season. Storm Eunice was named by the UK Met Office on 14 February 2022. A red weather warning was issued on 17 February for parts of South West England and South Wales, with a second red warning issued on 18 February, the day the storm struck, for London, the South East and East of England.
Eunice set a new record for the fastest wind gust recorded in England with 122 miles per hour (196 km/h) at The Needles, Isle of Wight. The storm was one of the most powerful to impact the south coast of England since the Great Storm of 1987.[7]
The storm caused a huge amount of damage in parts of Western, Central and Northern Europe; millions of people were left without power across affected areas, and many homes had sustained damage. The UK was particularly hard hit, with 1.4 million homes left without power at its peak. Several other countries were struck hard by Eunice, with wind damage being mostly the cause of it. Heavy winds damaged parts of buildings, and wind gusts in excess of 120 miles per hour (190 km/h) were recorded. Eunice caused 17 fatalities, and multiple injuries.