Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, is set to bring high winds and heavy rain to London, with gusts expected to reach up to 48mph by Friday afternoon.
After a mild and calm start to October, much wilder weather is set to sweep the capital as the storm hits the UK. Temperatures have already dropped to the low double figures, a significant change from the 22C warmth of last week.
Forecast for Thursday and Friday
The Met Office predicts a high of 14C and largely dry conditions with sunny intervals on Thursday. However, the weather is set to take a turn from Thursday night as "two really deep areas of pressure" move in from the Atlantic, according to forecasters at BBC Weather.
Heavy rain is expected to sweep the capital from around 11pm on Thursday, continuing long into Friday, with winds picking up to as much as 48mph by the afternoon.
Weather warnings issued
Storm Austen is expected to cause disruption, with the Met Office issuing a yellow weather warning for winds for parts of southern England and Wales from midnight on Friday until 2pm the same day. There is also an amber warning for the south-west between 3am and 10am on Friday.
Some coastal or exposed areas could see wind speeds exceeding 80mph, while gusts of 50-60mph are expected more widely.
Impact over the weekend
The heavy wind will carry on into Saturday, with more rainy showers forecast through the afternoon. In London, gusts are expected to exceed 40mph on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Met Office.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Elizabeth Rizzini said "two really deep areas of pressure" would move in from the Atlantic. "It's wet and it's windy pretty much all week," she said.
In the UK, storms are typically named when they are forecast to cause significant damage or disruption, leading to an amber or red weather warning. It comes as forecasters predict a huge El Nino phenomenon in the Pacific could cause wetter and wilder weather this autumn.
Long-range outlook
The Met Office also issued an update on the polar vortex that could cause chaos in London and across the UK this winter. In the Met Office's long range update, the forecast read that weather systems from the Atlantic "will bring spells of rain, heavy at times, together with a risk of strong winds or gales."
"Between systems it will be drier and brighter with some sunshine, but also with a few showers in places. Temperatures may be slightly below normal at first, but are likely to rise above average later," it said.
