Met Office names 38 areas to be battered by Storm Austen on Friday - full list

Met Office names 38 areas to be battered by Storm Austen on Friday - full list The Met Office has warned of power cuts and 70mph winds. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Antonio Scancariello 10:57, Tue, Oct 20, 2026 Updated: 13:23, Tue, Oct 20, 2026 Met Office names Storm Austen set to batter UK on Friday The Met Office has named Storm Austen, and brutal conditions are set to hit the UK later this week. The storm is set to bring disruptive wind and rain from late Thursday and into Friday, the Met Office said. Rain, however, will also hit the UK on Tuesday and Wednesday before late on Thursday, when Storm Austen begins approaching southwest England. The Met Office also added that the storm will then move from west to east through Friday, with winds generally diminishing later in the day. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Around 20-30mm is expected in many places, and higher totals are possible over higher ground in the west, and further north on Friday, the forecaster also said. Storm in UK (Image: Getty) Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Tom Crabtree said: “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. “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.” Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT A yellow warning for wind has also been issued for southern England and south Wales, highlighting the risk of travel disruption, power cuts, and injuries from debris in places. It will be in force in the southwest of England on Friday, from midnight until 12pm. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT UK snow forecast as maps show areas set to be covered on Sunday Met Office issues 12-hour power cut warning - full list of 38 areas affected Get the day's biggest headlines in UK and World news and more I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Strong winds and heavy rain will soon hit the UK. (Image: Getty) Other areas in southern England, including Brighton and London, as well as Wales and some parts of the Midlands, are also likely to be hit by severe weather from the storm. The Met Office said: "Strong west to northwesterly winds may spread across southern parts of England and Wales on Friday. "Gusts of 50-60 mph are possible, and some coastal or exposed areas could see 70 mph or more, but at this time, there is uncertainty in where the strongest winds will be. There will be some periods of heavy rain, which will make travel more difficult. Whilst it will remain breezy, the winds will probably ease late morning into the early afternoon." This year’s list begins with Austen and continues with Boelo, Chloe, Dano and Evelyn, ending at W with Wende. The letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z are not used, in line with international storm-naming conventions. The names are decided by the Met Office in conjunction with Met Éireann and KNMI, which are the Irish and Dutch national meteorological services, respectively. Full list of areas hit by Storm Austen 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 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 Met Office UK weather Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments