Gale-force winds from Storm Austen battered southwestern parts of the United Kingdom on Friday morning, cutting electricity to thousands of households, forcing school closures and halting train lines before a second major storm system arrives over the weekend.
Austen, the opening named storm of the season, generated wind speeds reaching 76 mph at St Mary’s Airport on the Isles of Scilly, the East Renfrewshire News reported. Shortly before 10:30 a.m., National Grid reported that over 18,000 properties were left without electricity across the South West region. More than 6,000 of those impacted customers were registered on the priority services list, which provides extra assistance to vulnerable individuals. National Grid noted that repair crews had managed to reconnect power to upwards of 12,000 customers by 8 a.m.
Amy Webb, chief operating officer at National Grid Electricity Distribution, said technicians were actively working across damaged zones to restore service, urging the public to stay clear of fallen wires. The severe conditions triggered widespread local disruption throughout Cornwall and Devon, where an amber wind warning remained active through mid-morning. Officials in Cornwall reported more than 20 school closures, while over 50 other facilities delayed their start times.
Commuters faced extensive transportation issues across southern England. Regional carrier Loganair grounded multiple scheduled flights connecting to Jersey, Southampton, Bristol and Exeter. On the tracks, fallen timber blocked rail corridors between Poole and Bournemouth. A lightning strike at Normans Bay disrupted Southern Rail operations, and National Rail scaled back train traffic heading to Ryde Pier Head.
Storm Boelo targets northern regions
As Storm Austen begins moving eastward toward the North Sea, meteorologists warned that a distinct low-pressure system named Storm Boelo will strike the British Isles starting Saturday. Forecasters at the Met Office announced an amber wind alert beginning Saturday evening at 9 p.m. for a 24-hour period, stretching across Scotland, Cumbria, Northumberland and the northern coast of Northern Ireland.
Broad swaths of mainland Scotland, the Western Isles and Orkney will remain under yellow wind warnings from midday Saturday until Sunday night. Coastal areas could endure gusts peaking between 70 and 80 mph, alongside inland gusts between 55 and 65 mph. Forecasters also alerted Northern Ireland to prepare for sustained winds of 50 to 60 mph, with exposed spots seeing up to 75 mph through Sunday.
Heavy precipitation will accompany the blustery weather. Scotland faces a Friday rainfall warning projecting accumulations between 20 and 40 millimeters, with localized peaks reaching up to 80 millimeters. Network Rail Scotland said it would reduce train speeds through affected corridors over the weekend to safeguard passengers against flooding and track debris.
The back-to-back storms drew criticism from environmental groups following a summer marked by record heat. Greenpeace campaigner Maja Darlington called on British officials to counter a continuous cycle of severe weather events, arguing that communities are facing escalating threats to infrastructure while fossil fuel companies post substantial financial gains.
Meteorologists expect winds from Storm Austen to taper off across southern England late Friday, though hazardous conditions will shift northward as Storm Boelo moves ashore through Sunday evening.
