Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, is set to bring damaging winds and travel disruption to parts of the UK from Thursday night into Friday, with an amber wind warning issued for the South West where gusts could reach 80mph.
The Met Office has placed the amber warning for wind in parts of south-west England, covering Cornwall, Devon, the Isles of Scilly and Plymouth, between 3am and 10am on Friday. Gusts of 60 to 70 mph are expected to develop, with some exposed areas likely to see 80 mph.
Heavy rain and power cut risk
Forecasters said there may be spells of heavy rain, while the rest of Friday will remain windy but gusts will gradually ease. There is a good chance power cuts may occur, and some buildings may be damaged. A danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads and sea fronts, the Met Office said.
A yellow warning for wind is in place for parts of the South East, South West, Wales and Herefordshire in the West Midlands between midnight and 2pm on Friday. Strong winds are expected to spread across southern parts of England and Wales during Thursday night and into Friday, with gusts of 50 to 60 mph likely and some exposed areas likely to see 70 mph or more.
Scotland rain warning and weekend outlook
A yellow warning for rain has been issued in parts of Scotland between 6am on Friday and 3am on Saturday (October 24).
Met Office deputy chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said: "Storm Austen is expected to bring a spell of impactful weather to parts of the UK from Thursday night and through Friday.
"While there remains some uncertainty in the exact track of the storm, there is increasing confidence in the potential for disruptive winds across parts of southwest England, which is why an Amber warning has been issued. Winds gusts could potentially reach 60-70 mph for a time, and these strong winds will be combined with spells of heavy rain."
People in affected areas should keep up to date with the latest forecast and warnings as the event develops, the Met Office said. The weather is expected to remain unsettled through the weekend and into next week, with low pressure likely to bring strong winds to northern parts of the UK on Saturday and Sunday.
RNLI safety plea and storm naming
Ross Macleod, RNLI water safety manager, has asked people not to take "unnecessary risks" when visiting the coast. He said: "If you plan to visit the coast or a waterside location, we urge you stay a safe distance from the water as conditions could knock you off your feet or wash you into the sea."
The Met Office storm year runs from September to August, with each 12-month period having its own alphabetical list of names used to label successive storms. This year's list begins with Austen and continues with Boelo, Chloe, Dano and Evelyn, ending at W with Wende.
