Storm Austen to hit UK on 23 October with yellow wind warning
The Met Office has named the season's first storm Austen. Strong winds and heavy rain are expected from late Thursday into Friday 23 October, with a yellow wind warning for southern England and south Wales.
Author: Editorial teamPublished: 2 min read
Contents
The Met Office has named Austen as the first storm of the new season. According to its statement of 20 October 2026, the most noticeable weather will arrive late on Thursday 22 October and continue on Friday 23 October.
Where the warning applies
A yellow wind warning covers southern parts of England and south Wales. The Met Office says travel disruption and power cuts are possible, as is a risk of injury from flying debris.
Wind and rain
The storm is expected to move from west to east, with winds easing during Friday. The strongest gusts are forecast for Friday morning.
- Gusts above 50mph are possible both inland and on the coast.
- Gusts of 70mph or more are possible on some south-western, southern and south-eastern coasts.
- Within the warning area, gusts of 50–60mph are more widely likely.
Rain is another significant hazard: 20–30mm is expected in many places, with higher totals over higher ground in the west and further north. On Friday rain will affect most of England and Wales, as well as southern and eastern Scotland and Northern Ireland. The heaviest rain will move north-east, so north-east England and south-east Scotland may have a particularly wet end to the day.
What happens next
Storm Austen's influence is expected to wane late on Friday as it moves into the North Sea. However, the Met Office expects further spells of wind and rain over the weekend and at the start of next week, with the heaviest rain more likely in the west.
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Tom Crabtree said the exact track of the storm is still being determined, but disruptive weather should be expected.
What it means for people in the UK
People living in or travelling through southern England and south Wales on Friday morning should be prepared for possible transport delays and power cuts. It is worth checking the latest Met Office warnings and operators' travel updates before setting off. The forecast may still change, as the storm's track has not been finally determined.
Sources
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Photos
- Cover: „sea, wave, storm, splash, smashing”, author: dimitrisvetsikas1969, licence Pixabay Content License; cropped or resized.
- Photo 1: „puddle, kid, street, after rain, stroll”, author: Sunriseforever, licence Pixabay Content License; cropped or resized.
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