Storm Austen has been named, prompting amber and yellow weather warnings across parts of the UK, with gusts of up to 78mph forecast for early Friday morning as the Autumn half-term begins.
Amber warning for South West England
An amber weather warning is in place across South West England, stretching from Plymouth to the Isles of Scilly. The Met Office states: "There is a good chance that gusts of 60-70 mph will develop widely for a time with perhaps some gusts around 80 mph for exposed headlands."
The Met Office adds: "Very strong winds will be combined with spells of heavy rain." There is a 50-75% chance of a significant impact in the amber area.
Yellow warnings and travel disruption
In the Midlands, there is a high chance of moderate impact from high winds, with the Met Office stating: "Whilst the winds across the warning area are not expected to be as strong as those further south and west, a spell of inland gales is possible with gusts around 45 to 55mph during Friday daytime. In combination with locally heavy rain and many trees still in full leaf, there is potential for some power outages and travel disruption."
Much of the South West is under a separate yellow warning for a moderate chance of significant impact. The Met Office warns: "Strong west to northwesterly winds will spread across southern parts of England and Wales during Thursday night and into Friday. Gusts of 50-60 mph are likely and some coastal or exposed areas could see 70 mph or more, this more likely over parts of southwest England. Ahead of this, a spell of southerly winds with gusts of 50-60 mph will move east along the south coast of England during Thursday night. Winds will slowly ease during Friday afternoon."
People travelling on Friday are warned that impacts to travel infrastructure are likely in the areas under yellow weather warnings. Longer travel times are expected due to the winds potentially felling trees or power lines. In addition, some bridges may be closed to traffic if the gusts are particularly strong.
