Storm Austen is causing widespread travel disruption and power outages across parts of the UK, bringing strong winds and heavy rain that have grounded flights, cancelled ferry services, and closed railway lines. Millions of people remain under Met Office yellow weather warnings for wind and rain as the system clears eastwards, while preparations are already underway for a second severe weather system, Storm Boelo, expected to arrive this weekend.
The severe weather has impacted transport networks extensively. Rail services across England, Scotland, and Wales face cancellations and delays due to fallen trees and high winds, with Network Rail announcing line closures in parts of Scotland from Saturday evening. Airports including Jersey, Guernsey, Exeter, and Newquay have reported significant flight delays and cancellations, while ferry operators such as Stena Line and Wightlink cancelled crossings. In Brighton, fierce waves caused a portion of the historic abandoned West Pier to collapse into the sea.
Power networks have also been severely affected. The National Grid reported that while power has been restored to more than 60,000 homes, thousands of properties across England and Wales—including about 13,000 in Cornwall alone—remain without electricity. Emergency services and highway teams have responded to hundreds of incidents involving blocked roads, structural damage, and fallen trees, including roughly 150 fallen trees reported in Cornwall.
As Storm Austen's winds begin to ease overnight, the Met Office warns that a brief window of clearer weather will quickly give way to Storm Boelo. Forecasters have issued an amber wind warning spanning parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England from Saturday through Sunday, bringing fresh gales and persistent heavy rain.
