Overview
- The Met Office has an amber wind warning for Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth and the Isles of Scilly for the worst of Storm Austen, with gusts peaking around 80mph on exposed coasts and the amber window focused in the early Friday morning period.
- Wider yellow warnings cover large parts of England, Wales and parts of Scotland for strong winds and heavy rain that forecasters say will make travel on roads, rail and ferries difficult and raise the likelihood of short-term power outages.
- Local authorities and safety agencies have urged people to secure loose items, avoid exposed coastal areas, and follow RNLI advice on water safety to reduce the risk of injury or life‑threatening incidents.
- Buckinghamshire Council's flood strategy flags more than 18,000 properties at risk from river, surface-water and groundwater flooding, a vulnerability officials say could compound damage where heavy rain falls with strong winds.
- The Met Office named a second system, Storm Boelo, which is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England over the weekend after Austen clears, with forecasters highlighting the storms’ rapid strengthening linked to jet‑stream interaction.