Storm Austen cuts power to over 6,000 homes in Cornwall, shuts schools
An amber warning for 80mph gusts closed roads and more than 80 schools in Cornwall and Devon on Friday as Storm Austen hit south-west England.
Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, brought gusts of up to 80mph to south-west England on Friday, cutting power to more than 6,000 homes in Cornwall and forcing more than 80 schools in the county to close or open late, according to the National Grid and the Independent.
The Met Office issued an amber warning for wind across Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly, in force from 01:00 to 10:00, alongside a "danger to life" warning for coastal areas because of large waves and flying beach debris, forecasters said.
Flying debris was likely during the storm, and high winds would probably cause some structural damage to buildings, such as tiles being torn from roofs, the Met Office said. Mobile phone coverage and electricity supplies could also be disrupted, forecasters warned.
Several roads in Cornwall were closed because of fallen trees and flooding, the Independent reported. All schools in Jersey and Guernsey were shut for the day, and some other schools in Cornwall also reported late openings or closures.
Chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said it was the first stormy weather of the season in southern Britain and that fallen branches and trees were likely to block roads and railways, urging care during the Friday morning commute. Winds were expected to ease steadily through the day, Bristol Live reported.
The Met Office separately warned that Storm Boelo would bring strong winds and heavy rain to Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England from Saturday, with a yellow warning for wind in place from 18:00 Saturday to 21:00 Sunday, deputy chief meteorologist Chris Bulmer said. Boelo is expected to arrive less than 48 hours after Austen, hitting the opposite end of the country from the one Austen struck.
The Met Office advised people in affected areas to prepare for possible power cuts by gathering torches, batteries and a mobile phone power pack, and to stay away from large waves and cliffs along the coast during the stormy weather.
Follow this story
An email when there is a real update (a new toll, a cause, an arrest). Nothing else; stop with one click.
Free: one story at a time. Members follow as many stories as they like.
What we know
- Storm Austen brought gusts of up to 80mph to south-west England on Friday, with an amber wind warning for Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly, the Met Office said.
- More than 6,000 homes in Cornwall lost power, and more than 80 schools in the county closed or opened late, according to the National Grid and the Independent.
- A "danger to life" warning was issued for coastal areas because of large waves and flying debris, and high winds were expected to cause some structural damage to buildings.
- Storm Boelo is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England from Saturday, less than 48 hours after Austen.
Why it matters for Europe
Storm Austen is the first named storm to hit Britain this season, and forecasters said Storm Boelo would arrive within two days, reaching areas on the other side of the country. The back-to-back storms threaten power supplies, travel and schools across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland over the same weekend.
Sources
Reported by 9 reports from 9 independent outlets in 4 countries.
- Evening Standard: Liverpool XI vs Brighton: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup, injury latest for Premier League
- ABC News Albania: Britania e Madhe ngre alarmin, pritet të goditet nga një stuhi e fortë
- Liverpool Echo: Why Rio Ngumoha could be Andoni Iraola's Liverpool trump card against red-hot Brighton
- Euronews Albania: Britania e Madhe ngre alarmin, pritet të goditet nga një stuhi e fortë
- Liverpool Echo: Met Office 'be prepared' alert as Storm Austen could cause power cuts
Source balance
PremiumSee how the 9 outlets behind this story spread from left to right, and which are official or OSINT sources.
Free during the launch: create an account →Log inHow we rate sources
Intelligence file
PremiumSee how we verified this story
Confidence and impact scores, 6 more sources, the full situation report and the event timeline.
Launch offer: free for members until 31 October 2026
Questions and answers
- How strong was Storm Austen?
- It brought gusts of up to 80mph to south-west England, with the Met Office issuing an amber warning for wind across Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly.
- How many homes lost power?
- More than 6,000 homes in Cornwall were left without power, according to the National Grid.
- What's coming next?
- Storm Boelo is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain to Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England from Saturday.
This article was written with AI assistance from 11 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.