More than 10,000 homes are without power as Storm Austen continues to batter southern England and Wales, with more bad weather expected this weekend. The first named storm of the season brought gusts of up to 84mph (135km/h) to Jersey, while in southern England the wild weather disrupted travel with fallen trees blocking railway lines and roads. In Brighton, part of the iconic West Pier – an abandoned structure that first opened in 1866 – collapsed into the sea. On Saturday, Storm Boelo is forecast to bring more strong winds and heavy rain.
The Met Office has put in place an amber warning for wind from 21:00 BST on Saturday to 21:00 BST on Sunday to cover parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland. Austen made landfall in the south-west overnight and tracked eastwards throughout the day. All schools on Jersey and Guernsey closed for the day and some in Cornwall were closed or started later than normal. Ahead of the worst of the storm on Thursday afternoon, families were evacuated from a holiday park in Perranporth, Cornwall.
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. The National Grid said engineers had restored power to more than 60,000 properties since Storm Austen began. Some ferry services between the UK and France were cancelled, while National Rail advised many routes were travelling at slower speeds.
In Brighton, onlookers filmed as a section of the West Pier fell into the sea as it was pummeled by large waves. 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. The pier closed to the public in 1975 and fell into disrepair, but the ruined structure became a symbol of Brighton for some. On the Channel Islands, fresh food shortages are expected in the coming days due to a lack of ferry services, according to the boss of the Co-op there.
“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. Paul Aked, head of Jersey Met, said there were gusts in Guernsey up to 76mph (122km/h), equivalent to a severe gale, force nine. Residents told BBC Radio Guernsey that they could hear the wind rattling through their homes. Jersey Airport said flights won’t be running “until at least 17:00” while Cornwall Airport Newquay is warning passengers to check with their airline before travel.
Departure boards at Exeter airport were showing multiple cancellations. Train operators across the country have warned that services are likely to be disrupted over the weekend. The UK will continue to be battered by strong winds and heavy rain over the weekend as Storm Boelo follows on the heels of Storm Austen. The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for wind for much of Scotland, excluding the Northern Isles, as well as the far north of Northern Ireland and England.
Wind gusts of 60-70mph are forecast, with exposed coastal areas potentially seeing speeds of up to 80mph. The Central Lowlands could also experience disruption as strong winds funnel through the region. Damage caused by strong winds could lead to further power cuts, while travel disruption is also predicted. Yellow wind warnings also cover Orkney, the rest of Northern Ireland and northern England.
Gusts of 55-75mph are possible in these areas, with isolated gusts potentially reaching 80mph. Alongside the strong winds, heavy and persistent rain is forecast across the UK on Saturday. Spray and surface water could make driving conditions hazardous, while further downpours increase the risk of localised flooding. The Met Office has advised the public to drive cautiously in strong wind, and to secure loose items outside their homes such as bins and trampolines.
People living or working in coastal areas were advised to take extra care during windy or stormy weather, including staying indoors as much as possible. The storm came as the government released general advice for households to stock up on tinned food and bottled water in order to be prepared for emergencies. The government has drawn up recommendations for households to have three days’ worth of bottled water and tinned food to deal with a crisis such as a war, an online attack or a 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.” Last month, the National Audit Office warned Britain’s food supply chain is at risk given the growing threat of cyber-attacks and the climate crisis. It said the Department for Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs had not done enough in recent years to improve supply chain resilience. Additional reporting by Joshua Askew and James Kelly Have you been affected by the storm? Severe weather warning as island braces for Storm Boelo Scotland to be hit with 80mph wind gusts as Storm Boelo alert upgraded to amber
