Amber warning for Cornwall and Devon as Storm Austen crosses southern Britain on Friday
The first named storm of the season brings gusts of 60 to 70mph to the amber warning area in the early hours of Friday, with heavy rain, difficult travel conditions and a wider yellow warning across southern England and Wales.
The Met Office has issued an amber wind warning that covers Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in full, together with part of west Devon, ahead of Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, which is due to cross southern Britain late on Thursday night and through Friday morning. The forecaster says the storm will bring very strong winds and spells of heavy rain across southern areas, with the greatest risk of disruption in the south and south west.
The amber warning runs from 3am to 10am on Friday 23 October. Within it, gusts of 60 to 70mph are expected widely for a time, with around 80mph possible on the most exposed headlands. Reporting of the warning points to a good chance of power cuts, some damage to buildings, and a danger to life from large waves and beach material thrown onto coastal roads and sea fronts. Chris Bulmer, the Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster, said there was still some uncertainty about the precise track of the storm, but added: “there is increasing confidence in the potential for disruptive winds across parts of southwest England, which is why an Amber warning has been issued”.
A broader yellow warning for wind covers large parts of southern England and south Wales, together with Herefordshire, from midnight on Thursday night until 2pm on Friday. The warning was updated at 9:41am on Wednesday 21 October, when its area was extended along the Kent coast and the likelihood of significant impacts was raised to medium, at 25 to 50 per cent. The Met Office expects gusts of 50 to 60mph across much of that area, with 70mph or more possible on exposed coasts, beginning with a spell of southerly winds moving east along the south coast during Thursday night before stronger west to northwesterly winds spread across the region.
Storm Austen is expected to bring a spell of impactful weather to parts of the UK from Thursday night and through Friday.Chris Bulmer, Deputy Chief Forecaster, Met Office, 21 October 2026
Rain accompanies the wind in the north. A yellow warning for rain has been issued across parts of southern and eastern Scotland for Friday, and the Met Office says spells of heavy rain will affect some locations inside the wind warnings as well. Winds are expected to ease gradually through Friday afternoon and into the evening, as the storm moves away.
The RNLI has urged anyone heading for the coast to take extra care while the storm passes, with large waves, strong winds and dangerous sea conditions possible. Ross Macleod, the charity's Water Safety Manager, said: “we’re asking the public to stay vigilant and not take unnecessary risks”. The charity's advice is to keep a safe distance from the water, to call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard if someone else is in danger rather than entering the water, and, for anyone who finds themselves in trouble, to follow its Float to Live guidance: lie back with ears in the water, extend arms and legs, and relax until breathing is under control.
The unsettled weather does not end with Austen. The Met Office expects conditions to stay unsettled through the weekend and into next week, with a further area of low pressure expected to make Saturday and Sunday windy across the north of the UK and the potential for further warnings to be issued.
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