Amber wind warning for Cornwall as Storm Austen nears
Gusts could potentially reach 60-70 mph for a time, the Met Office’s deputy chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said.
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for wind covering the whole of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and parts of West Devon as Storm Austen approaches southern Britain.
The Met Office’s warnings service lists the amber warning as valid from 02:00 to 09:00 on 23 October. The council areas named are Cornwall, Devon, the Isles of Scilly and Plymouth.
Chris Bulmer, the Met Office’s deputy chief forecaster, said some uncertainty remained over the storm’s exact track. But there was “increasing confidence in the potential for disruptive winds across parts of southwest England”, which was why the amber warning had been issued.
Bulmer added that gusts “could potentially reach 60-70 mph for a time”, and that the strong winds would be combined with spells of heavy rain. The Met Office said winds would gradually ease through the afternoon and evening of 23 October.
A wider yellow warning for wind, updated as confidence in the storm’s track and strength increased, runs from 23:00 on 22 October to 13:00 on 23 October. It covers South West England, parts of South East England including Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, parts of Wales, and Herefordshire.
A yellow warning for rain has also been issued for parts of Scotland, including Dumfries and Galloway, Edinburgh and Aberdeenshire, from 05:00 on 23 October to 02:00 on 24 October.
Advice for the coast
The RNLI urged anyone planning to visit the coast to take extra care, with large waves, strong winds and dangerous sea conditions possible. Ross Macleod, the RNLI’s water safety manager, said conditions “could knock you off your feet or wash you into the sea”.
Macleod added that anyone who gets into trouble in the water should float on their back until their breathing is under control, then call for help or swim to safety. Anyone who sees someone else in danger should not enter the water but phone 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
What happens next
Unsettled weather is expected to continue through the weekend and into the week beginning 26 October, the Met Office said. Another area of low pressure is likely to bring strong winds to northern parts of the UK on 24 and 25 October, with the potential for further warnings.
What happened before
Storm Austen was named on 20 October, with a yellow wind warning for southern England and south Wales. It is the first named storm of the 2026/27 season, and the Met Office said only 13% of people surveyed described themselves as fully prepared for severe winter weather.
