Storm Austen leaves 19,000 without power as Brighton's West Pier collapses into the sea

First named storm of the season brings 84mph gusts, cancelled ferries and closed schools, with a second storm, Boelo, forecast for the weekend

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Updated23 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources2 outlets

Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, has left more than 19,000 homes without power across southern England and Wales, toppled trees onto roads and railways, grounded flights and collapsed part of Brighton's West Pier into the sea, with a second storm, Boelo, expected to bring more wind and rain on Saturday.

Storm Austen made landfall in the south-west overnight and tracked eastwards through the day, bringing gusts of up to 84mph (135km/h) to Jersey. Guernsey recorded 76mph, which Paul Aked, head of Jersey Met, said was equivalent to a severe gale, force nine. Around 13,000 properties in the south-west were among those left without power.

Fallen trees blocked railway lines and roads, and National Rail advised that many routes were running at slower speeds. Ferry services between the UK and France were cancelled, Jersey Airport said flights would not operate until at least 17:00, and departure boards at Exeter airport showed multiple cancellations. Cornwall Airport Newquay advised passengers to check with their airline before travelling. In Horsham, a car was badly damaged by a fallen tree, although the driver was unharmed.

In Brighton, onlookers filmed a section of the West Pier falling into the sea as large waves pounded the structure. The pier, which opened in 1866 and closed to the public in 1975, had fallen into disrepair but remains a symbol of the city for some. Stephen Royle, who lives opposite the pier, said the waves were 'enormous' and that he was 'shocked' by how much of the structure ended up in the sea.

All schools on Jersey and Guernsey closed for the day, and some schools in Cornwall either closed or opened late. Families were evacuated from a holiday park in Perranporth, Cornwall, ahead of the worst of the storm on Thursday afternoon. Hannah Dawson-Turk, who was moved to a nearby hotel, told the BBC: 'The night before last, it sounded like our caravan was going to be ripped apart. The storm is very loud outside now, and the waves look huge from our windows.'

Mark Cox, boss of the Co-op on the Channel Islands, said fresh food shortages are expected in the coming days because ferry services have been suspended. 'It's rare we get this level of disruption to storms backing up so quickly and probably a little bit more heavier than what we've had to deal with in the past,' he said.

The UK should brace for more severe weather, with Storm Boelo forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain on Saturday. The Met Office has issued an amber wind warning for much of Scotland, excluding the Northern Isles, as well as the far north of Northern Ireland and England, with gusts of 60 to 70mph expected and up to 80mph possible on exposed coasts. Yellow warnings cover Orkney, the rest of Northern Ireland and northern England, and heavy rain poses a risk of localised flooding. The Met Office advised people to drive cautiously, secure loose items such as bins and trampolines, and stay indoors where possible in coastal areas.

The storm arrived as the government released guidance recommending that households keep three days' worth of bottled water and tinned food to prepare for emergencies such as war, cyber-attack or natural disaster. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: 'It's not about panic buying... It's about just taking sensible measures to have enough in the house to tide you over should there be a difficult situation.'

Analysis

Why This Matters

Two named storms in quick succession mean communities hit by Austen face more wind and rain before power is fully restored.
The storm has exposed the UK's reliance on lifeline ferry routes, with the Channel Islands facing fresh food shortages.
It arrives as the government urges households to prepare three-day emergency supplies, weeks after the National Audit Office warned the food supply chain remains vulnerable.

Background

Austen is the first named storm of the season, part of the Met Office's practice of naming significant autumn and winter storms ahead of each season in coordination with other European weather services. It made landfall in the south-west overnight and tracked eastwards, and forecasters say conditions will remain unsettled through the weekend as Storm Boelo follows on its heels.

The collapse of Brighton's West Pier marks the latest stage in the decline of a structure that opened in 1866 and closed to the public in 1975, after which it fell into disrepair. The storm also arrived as the government published emergency preparedness advice, and last month the National Audit Office warned that Britain's food supply chain is at risk given the growing threat of cyber-attacks and the climate crisis, saying the Department for Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs had not done enough to improve supply chain resilience.

Key Perspectives

The Met Office and Jersey Met: forecasters are urging caution, issuing amber warnings for the weekend and advising people to drive carefully, secure loose objects and stay indoors where possible in coastal areas. Residents and affected communities: evacuated families, closed schools and residents near the coast describe frightening conditions, with the Perranporth holiday park evacuated ahead of the worst of the storm. Government and retailers: Prime Minister Andy Burnham frames the stockpiling guidance as sensible preparedness rather than panic buying, while Co-op boss Mark Cox warns of fresh food shortages on the Channel Islands as ferry services remain suspended. The National Audit Office: last month's report found Defra had not done enough in recent years to improve the resilience of Britain's food supply chain against cyber-attacks and the climate crisis.

What to Watch

Whether Storm Boelo intensifies and how the amber wind warnings translate into further damage, power cuts and travel delays on Saturday.
The speed of power restoration for more than 19,000 homes, and how utilities cope with a second storm arriving before repairs are complete.
Whether ferry services resume in time to restock the Channel Islands before fresh food runs short.
The condition of Brighton's West Pier after further battering expected over the weekend.

Sources

Checked

11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 6 supported.

Show each claim

Partly supportedThe headline says 19,000 homes are without power.BBC News: “More than 19,000 homes are without power as Storm Austen continues to batter southern England and Wales.”
Partly supportedThe headline says Brighton’s West Pier collapses into the sea.BBC News: “In Brighton, part of the iconic West Pier - an abandoned structure that first opened in 1866 - collapsed into the sea.”
SupportedThe opening says more than 19,000 homes across southern England and Wales are without power.BBC News: “More than 19,000 homes are without power as Storm Austen continues to batter southern England and Wales.”
SupportedThe summary says Storm Austen brought gusts of up to 84mph to Jersey.BBC News: “The first named storm of the season brought gusts of up to 84mph (135km/h) to Jersey”
Partly supportedThe story says Guernsey recorded 76mph gusts, which Paul Aked said equalled a severe gale, force nine.BBC News: “Paul Aked, head of Jersey Met, said there were gusts in Guernsey up to 76mph (122km/h), equivalent to a severe gale, force nine.”
Partly supportedThe story says ferry services between the UK and France were cancelled.BBC News: “Some ferry services between the UK and France were cancelled”
SupportedHannah Dawson-Turk said: “The night before last, it sounded like our caravan was going to be ripped apart. The storm is very loud outside now, and the waves look huge from our windows.”BBC News: “Among them was Hannah Dawson-Turk, who told the BBC "the night before last, it sounded like our caravan was going to be ripped apart". "The storm is very loud outside now, and the waves look huge from our windows," she said from a nearby hotel.”
SupportedStephen Royle said the waves were “enormous” and he was “shocked” by how much of the pier ended up in the sea.BBC News: “Stephen Royle, who lives opposite, said the waves rolling in were "enormous" and he is "shocked" by how much of the pier ended up in the sea.”
SupportedMark Cox said: “It's rare we get this level of disruption to storms backing up so quickly and probably a little bit more heavier than what we've had to deal with in the past.”BBC News: “"It's rare we get this level of disruption to storms backing up so quickly and probably a little bit more heavier than what we've had to deal with in the past," Mark Cox said.”
SupportedAndy Burnham said: “It's not about panic buying... It's about just taking sensible measures to have enough in the house to tide you over should there be a difficult situation.”BBC News: “Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "It's not about panic buying... It's about just taking sensible measures to have enough in the house to tide you over should there be a difficult situation."”
Partly supportedThe story says the West Pier remains a symbol of the city for some.BBC News: “The pier closed to the public in 1975 and fell into disrepair, but the ruined structure became a symbol of Brighton for some.”