The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for wind covering parts of London and South East England, South West England, Wales and the West Midlands from 12am until midday on Friday, October 23, as Storm Austen arrives in the UK. Gusts of up to 70mph are forecast in some coastal or exposed areas.
Storm Austen's Path and Expected Impact
The storm will begin its approach late on Thursday and will move from west to east through Friday, bringing periods of wind and heavy rain. Strong west to northwesterly winds are forecast to spread across southern parts of England and Wales on Friday, with gusts of up to 70mph or more possible in some coastal or exposed areas.
Met Office deputy chief forecaster Tom Crabtree said: "While the exact track and position of Storm Austen is still being determined, what's clear is that we have an impactful period of weather on the way and the potential for disruption in places, which has resulted in the system being named."
He added: "Peak gusts in excess of 70mph are possible on the most exposed coastal areas, while 50-60mph are likely more widely within the warning area."
Advice for Households
Homes in the affected areas are being warned to brace for disruption as strong winds may lead to power cuts and transport disruption, while the powerful winds could also cause damage to buildings and property, such as tiles blown from roofs, and there's a chance of injuries and danger to life from flying debris.
To prepare for the storm, households are advised to protect their property by securely locking all windows and doors, as well as removing any loose items from outside homes, such as outdoor lights, lanterns, hanging baskets, garden furniture and bins, as these could easily smash or blow over in the blustery conditions.
Households are also advised to gather torches, batteries, mobile phone power packs and other essential items to prepare for potential power cuts.
Met Office Safety Guidance
In its advice on staying safe during storms, the Met Office says: "Secure loose objects such as ladders, garden furniture or anything else that could be blown into windows and other glazing and break them.
"Close and securely fasten doors and windows, particularly those on the windward side of the house, and especially large doors such as those on garages. Park vehicles in a garage, if available; otherwise keep them clear of buildings, trees, walls and fences.
"Close and secure loft trapdoors with bolts, particularly if roof pitch is less than 30°. If the house is fitted with storm shutters over the windows then ensure that these are closed and fastened. If chimney stacks are tall and in poor condition, move beds away from areas directly below them."
Steven Walley, landscaper and gardening expert from London Stone, warns it is important to take steps to protect your home during stormy weather to prevent as much damage as possible.
He said: "Nature is extremely powerful and heavy wind and rain can cause severe damage to your garden through flying debris or flooding.
"To prevent as much harm as possible, it's important to ensure we're taking precautions to protect our homes in harsh weather conditions. Make sure all doors and windows are locked shut. If you know a storm or weather warning is set to take place in your region, start taking precaution.
"First, make sure that there are no obvious entry points by making sure all windows and doors are locked shut. This will help to prevent damage from heavy rain seeping in and will help to reduce pressure on windows from strong winds."
The yellow weather warning covers the following areas: London & South East England (Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Southampton, West Sussex), South West England (Bath and North East Somerset, Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly, North Somerset, Plymouth, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Torbay, Wiltshire), Wales (Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan), and West Midlands (Herefordshire).
