Cornwall has found itself repeatedly in the path of Atlantic storms this winter, with strong winds, heavy rain and dramatic coastal conditions becoming a familiar sight across the county. While stormy weather is nothing unusual for a Cornish winter, the sheer frequency of systems this season has raised the question: why are so many storms hitting Cornwall?

The answer lies high above the Atlantic Ocean, in a fast-moving band of air known as the jet stream.

The Atlantic Storm Track

Most of the storms that affect the UK are born over the North Atlantic. These low-pressure systems develop where cold polar air meets warmer tropical air, and are then steered eastwards towards Europe by the jet stream.

The jet stream is a narrow ribbon of very strong winds, typically found around 8–12 kilometres above the Earth’s surface, flowing from west to east. It acts like a conveyor belt for weather systems, guiding storms along a preferred route known as the storm track.

Why Cornwall Is Being Hit More Often

The key factor this winter is the position of the jet stream.

When the jet stream sits further north, storms tend to track towards Iceland, Scotland and northern parts of the UK. When it shifts further south, the storm track moves with it — bringing low-pressure systems directly towards southern Britain.

At present, the jet stream has been positioned lower than average across the Atlantic, placing Cornwall and the south-west of England directly in its path. As a result, many storms are making landfall on the west Cornwall coastline, often as their first point of contact with the UK.

A Train of Storms

Meteorologists often describe this pattern as a zonal flow, meaning weather systems are lining up one after another and moving rapidly from west to east. This creates what feels like a “freight train” of storms, with little time for calm conditions in between.

Because Cornwall sticks out into the Atlantic, it is especially exposed. Storms typically reach the county while they are still strong and well-developed, bringing gale-force winds, prolonged heavy rainfall, and large Atlantic swells that increase the risk of coastal flooding.

Impact Beyond Cornwall

While Cornwall has taken many of the direct hits, the same Atlantic storms have also caused significant impacts further along the south-west coastline, particularly in Devon.

Dramatic scenes were reported across Devon as Storm Ingrid brought severe conditions to the coast. At Teignmouth Pier, powerful waves were seen damaging parts of the structure, while sections of the Dawlish sea wall were also battered by heavy wave action.

Further along the coast in Plymouth, large Atlantic swells were seen crashing over the waterfront at Plymouth Hoe, with waves repeatedly striking the sea walls and promenade. On Friday night, storm conditions also affected the Tinside steps, a popular access point for swimmers, which were hit by strong waves and rough seas as the storm moved through the area.

These scenes underline how storms that make landfall in Cornwall continue eastwards along the Channel coast, bringing hazardous marine conditions to much of the south-west peninsula.

Storm Goretti and the Future of Extreme Weather

A recent example of Cornwall’s exposure to extreme Atlantic weather was Storm Goretti, which the Met Office described as one of the most impactful storms to hit Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the last 30 to 35 years.

According to Met Office climate expert Professor Elizabeth Kendon, the exceptional strength of Storm Goretti may have been caused by a rare meteorological phenomenon known as a sting jet. Sting jets occur when a narrow band of very fast-moving air descends rapidly from high levels in the atmosphere down to the surface, producing sudden and extremely damaging winds.

Sting jets are uncommon in the UK, but when they do occur, they can dramatically intensify a storm’s impact over a short period of time. During Storm Goretti, wind gusts of 99mph (159km/h) were recorded in the Isles of Scilly, causing widespread disruption and damage across exposed coastal areas.

Professor Kendon has warned that storms of similar intensity may become more frequent as the climate continues to warm. Warmer ocean temperatures provide more energy to developing storms, increasing the likelihood of stronger wind speeds and heavier rainfall.

Another growing risk associated with future storms is storm surge. This occurs when low pressure and strong winds push seawater towards the coast, causing sea levels to rise rapidly.

“As we move into the future warmer world, we know that sea levels are going to be increasing, and so the risk associated with coastal flooding is also increasing in the future,” Kendon said.

Is This Unusual?

In short: not unusual for Cornwall, but notable for its persistence.

Cornwall has always been one of the stormiest parts of the UK, especially in winter. However, the current southern position of the jet stream means the county is seeing more frequent direct hits than average, rather than storms passing further north.

With forecasts continuing to show the jet stream remaining on a southerly track, more Atlantic systems are likely to affect Cornwall and the wider south-west in the coming weeks — making this a winter that feels particularly relentless for communities along the UK’s western edge.

Follow this advice from the Met Office about what to do in strong winds bit.ly/3VZqfqU and heavy rain bit.ly/3iEb7kd.

Sources: BBC/Met Office/University of Bristol

Featured image courtesy of Penzance Council

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