Storm Austen hits UK as yellow wind warnings in effect — SkimNews
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- Storm Austen brings wind gusts of 60-70mph to South West England, with warnings of 80mph in exposed areas and a possible danger to life until 17:00 BST.
- The Met Office has issued yellow wind warnings for most of England and Wales, with gusts of 45-55mph, and a separate yellow rain warning for parts of Scotland until Saturday.
- North-west France and the Channel Islands face the most damaging winds, with Brittany forecast gusts close to 90mph and Jersey closing all schools due to 80mph gales.
- Storm Boelo is set to follow immediately, with an amber wind warning for Scotland, northern Northern Ireland, and northern England for gusts of 60-70mph and possible 80mph winds this weekend.
- The UK's storm-naming season runs from September, with named storms being less common in spring and early summer; May is the only month with no named storms in the past 11 years.
Why it matters: The consecutive storms create a multi-day period of severe disruption for travel and power networks across a wide region, extending the risk of injury and property damage. The immediate impact on schools, ferries, and railways in the UK and France demonstrates the storm's broad geographic and operational reach.
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