Storm Austen brings 80mph winds: 7,000 homes without power, schools closed, flights and trains axed

The UK is braced for 'damaging' winds and heavy downpours with two named storms expected to wreak disruption today and over the weekend.

Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, could bring gusts of up to 80mph to parts of south-west England, with 60 to 70mph winds expected widely in the region.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for wind, covering Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly, coming into effect from 1am and remaining in place until 10am.

Strong winds will be combined with spells of heavy rain, though gusts will gradually ease over the day.

The forecaster said Storm Austen is 'likely to bring some disruption and possible damaging winds' and warned of disruption on the roads and public transport networks.

Flying debris is 'likely', and the storm will 'probably' bring some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, it added.

In coastal areas, large waves could pose a danger to life, as well as beach debris being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.

Mobile phone coverage and the power supply could also be affected, the Met Office said.

Chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said: 'This is the first stormy weather in the south of the UK this season and we expect some disruption as it moves through.

A bus drives through flooding at Wallisdown in Bournemouth, Dorset, early this morning

A road sign warns drivers of potential travel disruption in Falmouth, Cornwall, today

A 4x4 drives through flooding at Wallisdown in Bournemouth, Dorset, this morning

Heavy rain during the Europa League match between Bournemouth and AC Milan last night

Storm Austen arrives with heavy rain and strong winds in Doddiscombsleigh, Devon, overnight

'With trees in leaf, it is likely fallen branches and trees could obstruct roads and railways so take extra care on the Friday morning commute.'

Over the weekend, Storm Boelo will affect Northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of northern England with what the forecaster described as 'impactful winds'.

Yellow weather warnings have been issued for the whole of mainland Scotland, the Western Isles, Orkney and the far north of England from 6pm on Saturday to 9pm on Sunday.

There will be 'widespread gusts' of 55-65mph widely, with these reaching up to 70-80mph in more exposed coastal locations, the Met Office added.

Network Rail Scotland said trains will be slowed down on Friday and over the weekend to keep people safe in the areas expected to see the heaviest rain.

Early on Friday, Southern Rail announced a lightning strike at Normans Bay prevented trains from stopping at the station.

Elsewhere, National Rail said in a post on X that the weather warning meant fewer trains would call at Ryde Pier Head until 6pm on Friday.

The operator also said a number of services in England's north will be changed throughout the day on Friday, advising passengers to plan ahead.

Some services between Leeds and York via Harrogate will not stop at Weeton or Headingley, while trains between York and Blackpool North will skip New Pudsey.

A separate yellow warning, covering Northern Ireland from 6pm on Saturday to 3pm on Sunday, is due to predicted winds of 50-60mph, with up to 65-75mph in exposed regions.

Storm Boelo is a separate low pressure system to Storm Austen.

Storm Austen is due to clear eastwards into the North Sea through Friday.

Storm Austen hit the UK at midnight, with weather warnings in place until 9pm tonight

Met Office warnings for Storm Boelo begin at 6pm tomorrow and will run until 9pm on Sunday

Forecasters have also issued a yellow warning for wind across a large area of south west England and Wales, running from 10pm on Thursday through to 5pm on Friday – with gusts predicted to reach up to 45-55mph.

Another yellow weather warning for large parts of England, the North West and North Wales is in place from 10am Friday until 9pm that evening.

Heavy rain is expected on Friday, as Storm Austen tracks eastwards throughout the day.

It will be heaviest in southern and eastern Scotland, where a yellow weather warning has been issued from 7am to midnight on Friday.

Accumulations of 20-40mm are expected within the warning area throughout this time, with 60-80mm possible in some locations, the Met Office said.

This could bring flooding and travel disruption in a few places.

One flood warning, meaning flooding is expected, remained in place for the South Devon coast at Beesands, Torcross, Slapton and Dawlish.

Eight other flood alerts – meaning flooding is possible – were in place across England.

Garth Smith, head of resilience at the British Red Cross, has encouraged the public to take steps to protect themselves, their families and their homes.

The amber warning for wind is in place from 1am to 10am today for Devon and Cornwall

A yellow warning for wind is in place for a wider region between midnight and 5pm today

Another yellow wind warning has been issued for the South East from 10am to 9pm today

A yellow rain warning has been issued in Scotland from 6am tomorrow until 3am on Saturday

He said: 'We have practical advice that can make a real difference – from checking in with people who may be more vulnerable, securing loose items in your garden to checking windows and doors, and making an evacuation plan for your household, including pets.

'We also urge people to keep an eye on local weather reports and guidance from local authorities.'

Ross Macleod, the RNLI's water safety manager, has asked people not to take 'unnecessary risks' when visiting the coast.

He said: 'If you plan to visit the coast or a waterside location, we urge you stay a safe distance from the water as conditions could knock you off your feet or wash you into the sea.'

The forecast comes a week after severe drought was declared in parts of England, amid concerns over dwindling reservoirs because of extremely dry conditions.

The South East and South West have experienced their driest April to September for more than a century - affecting reservoirs in those areas, according to officials.

As a result, 'severe drought' – in which a lack of water affects daily life and the environment in major ways, and can have extensive effects – has been declared in parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, East Sussex and West Sussex.

But supercharged El Nino conditions in the Pacific which affect weather across the world will put the UK at greater risk of a wet stormy autumn overall, forecasters say.

The Met Office storm year runs from September to August, with each 12-month period having its own alphabetical list of names that are used to label successive storms.

A yellow warning for Boelo's 80mph gusts runs from 6pm tomorrow until 9pm on Sunday

A yellow wind warning for Northern Ireland runs from 6pm tomorrow until 3pm on Sunday

The Met Office has said Austen, Boelo and Chloe will be the first named storms of the season

This year's list begins with Austen and continues with Boelo, Chloe, Dano and Evelyn, ending at W with Wende.

Storm naming is a partnership between the Met Office, Ireland's Met Éireann and the Dutch service KNMI.

Met Éireann selected the name for the first storm in honour of Austen Nagle, the Irish Meteorological Service's first director.

KNMI picked names from more than 3,000 suggestions submitted by the public, including Boelo – a nearly extinct name from the east Groningen region that has been passed down through the nominator's family for generations.

Greenpeace climate campaigner Maja Darlington has called on the Government to act to stop a 'doomloop of extreme weather', after a summer of wildfires and drought.

She said: 'We've barely cooled off from a summer of blistering heat, and now the first winter storms are battering at the front door.

'While millions of people face the prospect of ruined homes and businesses, oil giants are preparing to announce multi-billion-pound profits next week.'

'The Government must take a stand against this doomloop of extreme weather and corporate impunity,' Ms Darlington added.