The Met Office has confirmed that parts of the UK will be hit by Storm Austen this week.
The first storm of the 2026/27 season will bring strong winds and heavy rain, with yellow warnings already issued to some affected areas in southern England and south Wales.
The Met Office has warned that there is a chance of travel disruption, power cuts and injuries from debris.
Ahead of the storm's arrival, the Met Office has urged those in affected areas to stay up to date with the latest advice and information.
When will Storm Austen hit the UK?
It is expected that Storm Austen will arrive from late Thursday, October 22 and into Friday, October 23.
The yellow weather warnings are in place from midnight on Friday and last until 12pm on the same day.
Where will Storm Austen hit in the UK?
The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings ahead of Storm Austen over the following areas:
London & South East England
- Brighton and Hove
- East Sussex
- Hampshire
- Isle of Wight
- Portsmouth
- Southampton
- West Sussex
South West England
- Bath and North East Somerset
- Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole
- Bristol
- Cornwall
- Devon
Storm Austen has been named by the Met Office bringing disruptive wind and rain from late Thursday and into Friday. Read our full news release here➡️ https://t.co/vLy5dI5DwX https://t.co/GPMoCo6Qvr
— Met Office (@metoffice) October 20, 2026
- Dorset
- Gloucestershire
- Isles of Scilly
- North Somerset
- Plymouth
- Somerset
- South Gloucestershire
- Torbay
- Wiltshire
Wales
- Blaenau Gwent
- Bridgend
- Caerphilly
- Cardiff
- Carmarthenshire
- Ceredigion
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Monmouthshire
- Neath Port Talbot
- Newport
- Pembrokeshire
- Powys
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Swansea
- Torfaen
- Vale of Glamorgan
West Midlands
- Herefordshire
What to expect from Storm Austen?
The Met Office has said that areas affected by Storm Austen can expect gusts of up to 70mph, with further widespread gusts of 50 to 60mph.
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Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Tom Crabtree said, "Peak gusts in excess of 70mph are possible on the most exposed coastal areas, while 50-60mph are likely more widely within the warning area.
"Weather warnings are under constant review and could be updated as confidence increases, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with the forecast in the coming days."
Are you in the affected area of Storm Austen? Let us know in the comments.
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