Thousands of homes in south-west England were without power and dozens of schools in Cornwall were closed or opened late on Friday as Storm Austen, the first named storm of the year, hit UK shores, with forecasters warning of up to 80mph gusts from a second storm, Boelo, this weekend.
Storm Austen brought severe conditions to parts of the south-west on Friday, with a gust of 76mph recorded at St Mary's airport on the Isles of Scilly. Just before 11am, more than 16,000 homes in the region were without power, according to National Grid, and dozens of schools across Cornwall were forced to open late, while others did not open at all.
The Met Office had issued an amber wind warning for Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly on Wednesday, in force from 1am until 10am on Friday. National Grid said engineers had restored power to more than 12,000 affected properties by 8am.
Forecasters have now issued a 24-hour amber warning for wind from Storm Boelo, in force from 9pm on Saturday and covering Scotland, the north coast of Northern Ireland, and Cumbria and Northumberland in the north of England. Gusts of up to 80mph could hit exposed coastal areas, with winds of 60-70mph widespread elsewhere. The Met Office warned of danger to life from flying debris and said there was a good chance of power cuts, damage to buildings, fallen trees and rail and flight cancellations.
The Republic of Ireland's weather agency, Met Éireann, issued six warnings of varying severity for Saturday, mostly affecting counties along the west coast.
Speaking to reporters at a wildfires summit in Aintree on Friday, the prime minister, Andy Burnham, said: "We potentially are facing a winter of greater flooding, so it's about recognising all of those risks and taking action." Asked whether the government was playing catch-up with civil preparedness, he said: "No. We are having the conversation with people about being better prepared because we're living in a world where unexpected events seem to be becoming more and more common."
The remarks came after a government campaign urging people to stock supplies of food and essentials in case of multi-day emergencies made headlines overnight.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- More than 16,000 homes in the south-west were left without power by the first named storm of the year, showing the scale of disruption a single weather system can cause.
- A second storm is due within hours with warnings of up to 80mph gusts and a risk to life, so the effects may continue into the weekend.
- The prime minister has linked the storms to a possible 'winter of greater flooding' and is urging households to be better prepared.
Background
Storm Austen arrived in the same week the government promoted guidance asking people to stock food and essentials for multi-day emergencies. The warnings come as ministers hold a summit in Liverpool to learn from the summer's record wildfires, part of a wider conversation about resilience to extreme weather.
The Met Office's colour-coded warnings are designed to alert the public to severe conditions, and each named storm is intended to make those warnings easier to follow. The UK and Ireland use the same storm-naming scheme, which is why Met Éireann also issued warnings for Boelo.
Key Perspectives
Residents and infrastructure operators: Power cuts and school closures in Cornwall show the immediate strain, and while National Grid said it had restored power to more than 12,000 properties by Friday morning, thousands were still without supply during the day.
Forecasters: The Met Office warns that Storm Boelo could bring gusts of up to 80mph on exposed coasts and widespread winds of 60-70mph, with a good chance of power cuts, building damage, uprooted trees and rail and flight cancellations.
The government: The prime minister says the UK must recognise the risks and take action, pointing to a possible winter of greater flooding and urging households to keep essential supplies. Asked whether the government was playing catch-up, he said it was having a conversation about resilience.
Critics and sceptics: The question put to the prime minister reflects concern that official preparedness may not have kept pace with increasingly common extreme weather. The wildfires summit and the new public guidance are the government's answer to that concern.
What to Watch
- Whether Storm Boelo's gusts reach the forecast 80mph on exposed coasts.
- How quickly power is restored to the south-west homes still without supply.
- Whether Met Éireann's warnings for the Republic of Ireland escalate over the weekend.
