The Met Office has named Storm Austen, the first named storm of the 2026/27 season, setting up an impactful spell of wind and rain across southern parts of the United Kingdom late on Thursday and into Friday. The announcement, made on Tuesday 20 October, puts the south-west of England and south Wales in the path of the strongest gusts, with warnings of travel disruption, power cuts and possible injuries from flying debris.

The storm is expected to arrive late on Thursday and move west to east through Friday, weakening as it heads into the North Sea late in the day. Forecasters are urging the public to stay up to date with the latest warnings, which they say remain under constant review as confidence in the storm's exact track grows.

What Storm Austen will bring

Storm Austen is being driven by an area of low pressure forming over the Atlantic that is expected to deepen rapidly as it is invigorated by the jet stream. That rapid deepening is the hallmark of an autumn storm capable of causing disruption — and it is what prompted the Met Office to name the system.

The main hazards are strong winds and heavy rain. Peak gusts in excess of 70mph are possible on the most exposed coastal areas, while gusts of 50 to 60mph are likely more widely within the warning area. The strongest winds are expected across the south-west of England and into southern Wales on Thursday night and Friday, and many places will see 20 to 30mm of rain, with higher totals over higher ground in the west and further north on Friday.

Warnings in force

A Met Office yellow warning for wind covers southern England and south Wales, highlighting the chance of travel disruption, power cuts and injuries from debris. The warning runs from midnight to midday on Friday 23 October, covering most of south-west England, southern Wales and parts of the south coast as far east as Brighton.

Yellow is the lowest of the Met Office's three warning tiers, but it still signals likely disruption and a need to plan ahead. People in the warning zone can expect possible delays to road, rail, air and ferry services, and should secure loose outdoor items such as garden furniture and bins before Thursday night.

What the forecasters are saying

Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Tom Crabtree said the system had been named for its disruptive potential rather than certainty about its track. "While the exact track and position of Storm Austen is still being determined, what's clear is that we have an impactful period of weather on the way and the potential for disruption in places, which has resulted in the system being named," he said.

He added that peak gusts in excess of 70mph were possible on the most exposed coastal areas, with 50 to 60mph likely more widely, and urged the public to stay up to date with the forecast in the coming days. Small shifts in a storm's path can change which areas take the worst of the wind, which is why warnings may be updated through Thursday.

How the storm naming system works

The UK storm season runs from September to August, with a fresh alphabetical list compiled jointly by the Met Office, Ireland's Met Éireann and the Dutch weather service KNMI. A storm is named when it has the potential to cause medium or high impacts in the UK, Ireland or the Netherlands. This year's list begins with Austen, followed by Boelo, Chloe, Dano and Evelyn, and runs through to Wende; the letters Q, U, X, Y and Z are not used, in line with international conventions.

Plenty of blustery autumn days pass unnamed: a yellow-warning blow alone does not make the list. Austen therefore marks the start of the 2026/27 season rather than a freak event — but it is a reminder that the unsettled pattern is likely to continue.

Ireland braces too

Met Éireann has issued Status Yellow rain warnings for Ireland as Storm Austen's heavy rain spreads eastwards across the country. The warnings, issued on the morning of Tuesday 20 October, take effect at 7pm on Thursday 22 October and remain in place until 8am on Friday 23 October.

The Irish service warns of difficult travelling conditions, localised flooding and possible disruption to outdoor events, with motorists advised to take extra care on roads prone to surface water. The Irish warnings are rain-focused rather than wind-focused, reflecting the storm's expected track.

Storm safety: before, during and after

Before the storm, check the latest Met Office warnings for your area, secure loose outdoor items, and keep phones and torches charged in case of power cuts. Cold snaps often follow autumn storms, so our guide to protecting water lines before hard freezes is worth reading alongside this one. During the peak winds, avoid coastal paths, allow extra time for journeys and check public transport before setting out — and never drive through floodwater. After the storm passes, report fallen power lines and stay well clear of them, check on vulnerable neighbours, and clear blocked drains near your home.

The Met Office notes that further periods of wind and rain are likely through the weekend and into the start of next week, with the heaviest rain more likely in western areas — so this is a time to stay alert beyond Friday. You can follow today's verified incident records on our today page, see what is getting attention on our trending page, and browse all of our explainers and analyses in articles — including today's #EndSARS anniversary analysis.

## What our records show, and what they miss

Our records show the verified facts of the naming: Storm Austen, named by the Met Office on 20 October 2026 as the first storm of the 2026/27 season; a yellow wind warning for southern England and south Wales from midnight to midday on Friday 23 October; gusts of 50 to 60mph widely and over 70mph on exposed coasts; 20 to 30mm of rain in many places; and Met Éireann Status Yellow rain warnings for Ireland from 7pm Thursday to 8am Friday. What they miss: the storm's exact track is still being determined, so the worst-affected areas may shift, and further unsettled weather through the weekend means disruption may not end with Austen. Until the system clears, the record of this storm is a forecast, not a result.

## The short version
  • The Met Office named Storm Austen on 20 October 2026 — the first named storm of the 2026/27 season — driven by an Atlantic low deepening rapidly under the jet stream.
  • A yellow wind warning covers southern England and south Wales from midnight to midday on Friday 23 October, with 50–60mph gusts widely and over 70mph on exposed coasts.
  • Expected impacts include travel disruption, power cuts, injuries from debris and localised flooding, with 20–30mm of rain in many places.
  • Met Éireann issued Status Yellow rain warnings for Ireland from 7pm Thursday to 8am Friday as the storm's rain spreads eastwards.
  • Storm Austen moves west to east through Friday and wanes late in the day, but further wind and rain are likely through the weekend and into next week.