Several weather warnings are in place as Storm Austen has brought “damaging” 80mph winds causing thousands of home to be without power, school closures and travel disruption for parts of the country.
The first named storm of 2026 has left thousands without power and schools closed in Cornwall, where an amber weather warning is in place which remains in force until 10am.
Winds of 45-60mph are expected across most of England and Wales, with travel disruption, train cancellations and power cuts due to fallen trees.
Flights have been cancelled at Exeter airport and there are traffic delays near Redruth and Truro with fallen trees.
The Met Office warns that flying debris and huge waves could cause danger to life, while buildings could be damaged and key infrastructure disrupted. Flood alerts are in place in Scotland.
A yellow weather warning for wind came into force for southern Wales, south-west England and parts of the south coast at 12am, and run until 5pm.
The first storm of the season is on its way
— Met Office (@metoffice) October 22, 2026#StormAusten will bring damaging winds with disruption expected, stay #WeatherAware
Latest infohttps://t.co/TfU9Ok8qZD pic.twitter.com/pXAMnmAChL
Large parts of northern Wales, the Midlands, and north-west and south-east England will be under a weather warning from 10am to 9pm on Friday, with damage to buildings and transport networks probable, along with possible power cuts.
Large parts of southern and eastern Scotland will see heavy rain from 7am to 11.59pm.
Storm Boelo hits over the weekend
Although winds will gradually ease through this afternoon and evening, Storm Boelo will follow soon after.
Storm Boelo will then bring strong winds – up to 75mph – and heavy rain to parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England on Saturday and Sunday.
A yellow weather warning will come into force from 6pm on Saturday to 9pm on Sunday, covering Scotland and the far north of England.
A second yellow weather warning for wind covers all of Northern Ireland from 6pm on Saturday to 3pm on Sunday.
Heavy rain will move in from the west through Saturday, spreading widely across the UK through the day as wind strength also builds before a calmer day on Sunday.
People are warned to stay away from cliff edges and back from stormy seas, and secure objects from high winds.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) urged the public to “stay vigilant and not take unnecessary risks”, and not enter the water if they see someone else in danger.
Just one in eight people said they were prepared for winter weather ahead of Storm Austen, reports the Met Office, despite a scorching summer causing a greater awareness of extreme weather.
New government guidance on preparing for national emergencies, such as extreme weather events, includes stocking up on three days worth of food and water.