The Met Office has confirmed that Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, will batter the UK from Thursday evening into Friday (October 22 and 23), bringing strong wind and heavy rain. A second area of low pressure is set to cover the whole country with rain just a day later.
Severe weather warnings issued
Several severe weather alerts have been issued by the Met Office, including an amber "risk to life" warning for wind in south west England on Friday, where wind gusts could reach as high as 80mph. Two yellow alerts for wind and rain have also been issued for Friday, affecting parts of Scotland, London and south east England, south west England, West Midlands and Wales.
Storm Austen is forecast to move across the south of the UK late Thursday and during Friday morning, bringing the greatest risk of disruptive weather to southern and southwestern areas. Alongside severe gales, some locations will see spells of heavy rain.
Second system follows
After Storm Austen blows over the country, a brief respite is expected early on Saturday before another spell of wet and windy weather potentially affects a similar area. This second system is not currently expected to be named, but it reinforces the unsettled Atlantic pattern affecting northwest Europe.
"Storm Austen demonstrates how closely the development of Atlantic storms can be tied to the jet stream," the Met Office says. "In this case, the combination of a sharpening trough, a jet streak and the storm’s movement into the left jet exit region will help transform an Atlantic low into a rapidly deepening and potentially disruptive system." The precise track will remain important in determining which locations experience the strongest winds, so people are advised to keep up to date with the latest forecast and any warnings issued for their area.
When will Storm Austen hit Greater Manchester?
The area of low pressure will approach the UK from around 8pm on Thursday, with rain reaching Greater Manchester from around 10pm. The rain will continue during the day in Greater Manchester on Friday, but in patches rather than consistent rain.
On Saturday, a 600-mile wall of rain is set to sweep across the UK, lashing the entire country with rain. Winds in Greater Manchester are forecast to reach highs of around 47mph, peaking during the afternoon on Friday and again on Saturday.
