A tornado struck Portchester, Hampshire, shortly after midnight on Friday, as the season's first named storm brought winds of up to 84mph and widespread disruption.
The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO) confirmed the tornado, which left a ground path of roughly 1.6 kilometres through the settlement on Fareham's eastern edge. The phenomenon was linked to intense showers moving inland from the English Channel as Storm Austen brought turbulent conditions to the area.
Resident describes 'massive bang'
Kevin Saunders told The News: "It was an intense rush of wind and I thought my roof was lifting off. Then all of a sudden we heard a massive bang, which all we can put it down to is my neighbour's garden wall has gone down, so we think it was that."
Saunders said he had not initially considered that the event might have been a tornado until TORRO representatives visited him on Friday. TORRO, which described the tornado as "weak", said further examination is expected to determine more details about its path, strength and any damage caused.
Wider Storm Austen impact
The first named storm of the 2026/2027 autumn-winter period brought severe gales and heavy rain across large parts of the UK. In Brighton, part of the West Pier, an abandoned structure that opened in 1866, collapsed into the sea. Thousands of properties in south-west England remained without power after the second storm to hit Britain in little over a day.
Storm Boelo's gales and persistent heavy rain are expected to affect northern regions, with winds potentially exceeding 80mph. A yellow weather warning covering all of northern Britain remains in place until 9pm on Sunday.
Flood alerts issued
The Environment Agency has issued 22 alerts for locations across England where flooding is possible, plus a warning that flooding is expected at New Brighton, Merseyside, due to high tides in the Irish Sea.
