Image source, David Haigh

Meteorologists have confirmed that Storm Ciarán is a weather bomb, due to the explosive power of storms caused by a particularly rapid fall in pressure.

A weather bomb, or explosive cyclogenesis, is a term given by meteorologists to a storm that appears to intensify rapidly, with its central air pressure dropping at least 24 millibars (mb) in 24 hours.

Storm Ciarán is expected to see a pressure drop of 28mb in 24 hours.

David Braine, senior broadcast meteorologist for the BBC, said: "This development means that the storm will be at its most intense when it reaches the south west of England."

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Cornwall Council said it received about 270 calls relating to storm damage overnight, the majority involving trees.

Steve Bayley from Cormac, a Cornwall Council company that maintains roads and the environment, said: “It's been very busy. Yesterday evening was relatively busy but its been much more significant since about 05:00 this morning.

“We have been dealing with lots of issues, primarily trees and a certain degree of localised flooding as well.

“It has been right throughout Cornwall... overnight we received nearly 270 calls and at least 150 of those were tree-related causing a significant number of roads to close, including some major roads.

"We are clearing our way through and most of those are now clear.

“People should be aware that there could well be trees down on minor roads, or even major roads that perhaps we haven't got to yet, or haven’t been reported to us yet so please drive with extra caution."

Image source, Jayne Kirkham

Bee Tucker
BBC Weather

Devon and Cornwall was under a Met Office amber warning until 11:00 (GMT) with winds of 60 to 70 mph. Inland the wind speed has been slightly lower.

From 11:00, a yellow weather warning, external is in place for the South West and Channel Islands for wind a rain.

This remains until 17:00, with wind strengths of 50 to 60 mph expected along the coast.

Seven flood warnings, external, where flooding is expected, are in place around Cornwall.

The Environment Agency , externalhas also issued 14 flood alerts for Cornwall.

"Significant waves and tidal surges" will bring an increased risk of coastal flooding said the Environment Agency.

Cornwall Council is urging people only to travel if it is essential and do not attempt to drive through flood water.

National Highways says the A30 around Camborne and Bodmin could be areas of real concern.

Storm Ciarán is being driven by a very powerful jet stream - winds high in the atmosphere - with speeds of around 200mph (321kmh), BBC Weather says. A jet stream this powerful contains a lot of energy for low pressure systems to develop.

This low pressure system could indeed be one of the deepest areas of low pressure recorded in November in the UK, close to the current record of 948.4hPa in 1954.

Tinside Lido in Plymouth did a pretty good impression of the sea this morning as waves overwhelmed it at high tide.

The Art Deco lido usually rises above this kind of thing, see pic below.

Image source, Nilfanion

A student in Falmouth woke up in the night when the roof of her bedroom blew off.

Storm Ciarán caused major damage to the shared house on Waterloo Road.

Kate Marsh said: "Last night at about 05:30 GMT our roof completely blew off and collapsed into my room on top of me. I think most of the roof is gone now. I was screaming quite loudly - it was very shocking.

"All the plaster and the beams fell onto my bed and woke me up. I'm trying to figure out where I am going to stay, how I am going to get my stuff moved and figure out what is damaged."

A fire a rescue team attended and said the house was "uninhabitable", Ms Marsh said.

"It was terrifying. I tried to save my laptop because I have got a lot of uni work on there and I knew it was under the roof so I got that out," she added.

The landlord said he was looking into options for arranging alternative accommodation.

Michael Chequer
BBC Radio Devon

Image source, Google

The wind speed at the top of the Taw Bridge in Barnstaple is hovering just under 40mph (64 km/h) at the moment.

That's significant because if that figure reaches 40, the bridge will be closed to high sided vehicles such as lorries and buses.

Elsewhere the strongest winds continue to be felt in north and west Devon, with Mullacott Cross near Ilfracombe and Rundlestone near Princetown, experiencing some of the strongest gusts.

More than 130 schools have either closed or are opening later on Thursday because of Storm Ciarán.

Cornwall Council said primary schools, secondary schools and colleges are affected.

In total, 42 are closed for the day, with a further 95 deciding to open later than usual.

Schools should be making contact with parents directly, and the council is updating its list online, external.

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

As winds continue to batter west Cornwall, industrial premises as well and houses have been damaged by Storn Ciarán.

In Ludgvan, near Penzance, part of the roof of one warehouse has blown off and landed in nearby gardens more than 100ft (30m) away.

People had been asked by local authorities to see if outside items could be secured, but checking high-up fixings of buildings would not have been possible for everyone.

Some roads in the area which had seen blockages earlier do appear to be usable again, but Cornwall Council has still recommended people do not go outside unless absolutely necessary.

In east Devon, floodwater has risen on land in Axminster, blocking a lane and leaving the area looking like a "new lake".

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Cornwall Council's highways teams have received about 180 reports involving fallen trees this morning.

Storm Ciarán brought strong winds that have caused trees to fall, many blocking roads.

The Cornwall councillor in charge of Environment and Public Protection, Martyn Alvey said: “It is starting to calm down but we have got two real challenges we are dealing with.

"That’s the loss of electricity – we have got currently about 6,500 homes without power and some of those National Grid are suggesting may be out until 08:30 tomorrow morning.

"The other challenge is lots of trees down.

"The highways teams are currently out and about trying to work their way through 180 different logs that they have received over the last couple of hours as people of Cornwall have woken up to the mayhem from the storm.”

A big swell whipped up by the storm has flooded the South Sands Hotel in Salcombe.

High tide saw a balcony facing the sea damaged as the storm swept in.

Hotel owner David Noble told BBC News: "We've had a devastating end to Storm Ciarán, which has blown off the windows, blown off the doors and flooded the downstairs restaurant."

As mopping up continued, he said it was probably the worst storm he had experienced at the hotel since he bought it 14 years ago.

The hotel is hoping to be back up and running on Friday.

Jonathan Morris
BBC News Online

Image source, @sirfixalock/Paul Montgomery

Nearly 2,700 homes are without power and roads have been blocked by landslips, flooding and fallen trees across Devon while in Cornwall, 6,667 properties are without power.

Drivers have been advised against venturing out unless the journey is essential.

Fears are rising that rivers will burst their banks with 18 flood warnings in the county, which means flooding is expected.

Twenty nine more rivers are on flood alert which means flooding is possible, according to the Environment Agency., external

Train travellers are facing a "bleak" day says GWR which has cancelled trains between Exeter and Taunton - and do not expect a stand-in bus service because they have been hit too.

On the upside, today's train tickets will still be valid tomorrow.

On Dartmoor the rain has coming in horizontally, according to people in Princetown.

And in Salcombe a hotel's doors and windows have been smashed by waves in the biggest storm the owner has seen in the last 14 years.

The power of the sea was clear as waves smashed into Tinside Lido in Plymouth.

Scott Bingham
BBC Spotlight

The Met Office amber warning came into force at 03:00 GMT and that seemed to coincide with the arrival of Storm Ciarán in St Ives.

Gusts of 95mph (153 km/h) were reported locally on the headland, but down in the harbour it was more sheltered.

Big waves have been rolling in, but they have not been breaking over the harbour walls.

The heavy rain predicted has not really fallen here and the worst of the storm now seems to have passed.

The National Grid says 2,689 properties have been left without power in Devon in 25 separate incidents. In Cornwall, 6,667 properties are without power in 74 separate incidents.

High tide brought waves crashing over Plymouth's Art Deco open air pool, Tinside Lido.

Cornwall Council said rubbish collections have started this morning, despite the strong winds affecting many communities.

They are urging people to put out bins as securely as possible and to take them back in soon after the rubbish and recycling has been collected.

Their teams are hampered by the weather and any areas they can't get to today, will be added to the schedule on Friday, the council said.

Image source, Gay Murch

The main road bewteen Modbury and Ermington is closed in both directions after a landslip.

Devon County Council's emergency control centre also reported:

• The link road between the A38 and A380 at Haldon Hill is flooded in places
• Between the A38 and Newton Abbot - the A383 Ashburton Road - is just passable due to flooding
• In Exeter on Burnthouse Lane, there is a fallen tree
• Also in Exeter, East Wonford Hill is flooded, while there are further reports of flooding on Heavitree Road and Rifford Road
• Near Clyst St George, the B3179 Woodbury Road between Exmouth Road and Ebford Lane is impassable due to flooding
• In Lympstone on Strawberry Hill there is a fallen tree
• Between Ide and Pocombe Bridge we have got reports there’s deep flooding
• Near Colyford on the A3052 Boshill Hill, there are reports of deep flooding near the river
• On the Tamar Bridge, the centre lane is closed due to the weather conditions
• In Plymouth, there is flooding on Outland Road, Union Street, Derry's Cross and near the Cattedown Roundabout

• Near Moretonhampstead, there are reports the A382 is flooded
• In Totnes, Jubilee Road is blocked by a fallen tree
• In Dawlish, Sandy Lane is blocked by a fallen tree near the leisure centre

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Many parts of Cornwall have received damage from the strong winds of Storm Ciarán.

There are dozens of fallen trees causing travel difficulties, including these ones in Penzance, Carylon Bay and Tintagel.

The advice remains to avoid travelling unless it is considered essential.

Image source, Esme Page

Image source, Sharon Rush