The Met Office is warning drivers to “take extra care on the Friday morning commute” as Storm Austen arrives, with trees still in leaf and likely to come down across roads and railways. Its yellow wind warning for south Wales now runs until 5pm on Friday, three hours later than the version issued on Wednesday.
The Met Office updated the warning at 10am on Thursday and stretched it north to take in the whole of west Wales. It still starts at midnight, and the forecast for Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire is unchanged: gusts of 50 to 60mph, with 70mph or more possible on exposed coasts.
The chance of significant disruption stays at medium, between 25 and 50 per cent, where it was raised to on Wednesday. There is still no amber warning for Wales.
Eighteen of Wales’ 22 council areas are now covered by the main warning, up from 16, after the Met Office said it had “extended north across west Wales”. A second warning for Friday daytime takes in the other four, so every part of Wales is now under a wind warning.
Neil Armstrong, the Met Office’s chief forecaster, said: “This is the first stormy weather in the south of the UK this season and we expect some disruption as it moves through.”
He added: “With trees in leaf, it is likely fallen branches and trees could obstruct roads and railways, so take extra care on the Friday morning commute.”
Midnight to 5pm on Friday: what has changed in the Storm Austen warnings
The storm arrives on a strong west to north-westerly wind that spreads across southern England and Wales during Thursday night and into Friday, the Met Office says. Before it, a spell of southerly gusts of 50 to 60mph moves east along the south coast of England overnight.
Gusts of 70mph or more are “more likely over parts of southwest England”, it says, which is why Cornwall and Devon were put on amber on Wednesday. That amber warning has been brought forward to start at 1am, and runs until 10am.
A second yellow wind warning, issued on Thursday morning, covers mid and north Wales and most of England from 10am to 9pm on Friday as the storm tracks east, with gusts of 45 to 55mph. In Wales it takes in Ceredigion, Powys, Gwynedd, Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham and Monmouthshire.
The strong winds will come with periods of heavy rain, “making for difficult travel conditions”, the Met Office says. Large waves and “dangerous conditions” are expected around the coast of Wales.
Winds “will slowly ease during Friday afternoon”, which is why the end of the warning has moved from 2pm to 5pm.
Roads, bridges, power and the coast: what the Met Office says to expect
Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journeys and cancellations possible, and some roads and bridges may close, the warning says. Power cuts could knock out other services, including mobile phone coverage.
Tiles could be blown from roofs, and there is a risk of injury and danger to life from flying debris. On the coast, large waves and beach material could be thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties.
The advice is to secure anything loose outside, including bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds and fences, and to check road conditions and bus and train timetables before setting out.
Households are told to gather torches, batteries and a phone power pack in case of a power cut. Anyone on the coast is warned that even from the shore, large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea; in an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
‘Teams ready to respond’: National Grid asks south Wales to charge phones and dig out the torch
National Grid Electricity Distribution, which runs the power lines across south Wales, is asking customers to get ready for cuts. Its staff will work “around the clock” to restore supplies if the storm damages the network, it says.
Amy Webb, its chief operating officer, said: “With Storm Austen approaching, our priority is to be ready for whatever the weather brings. We’ll be monitoring the network closely and have teams ready to respond quickly and safely if there is any damage.”
The company’s checklist is to keep a torch handy rather than candles or paraffin heaters, charge phones and battery packs, keep an eye on the forecast and check on vulnerable neighbours, friends and relatives. Anyone with medical equipment at home should make sure it has a battery back-up, or ask their medical professional for advice.
Power cuts can be reported on 105, or on 0800 6783 105, and people with extra needs can sign up to National Grid’s free Priority Services Register for support during outages.
Austen is the first named storm of the season, first flagged for south Wales on Tuesday. The second, Storm Boelo, was named on Thursday for the weekend, but its warnings are for Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England.
Deputy chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said Boelo would hit “the opposite end of the country to Storm Austen” from Saturday night. By Sunday, the Met Office says, much of England and Wales will see a largely dry but blustery day.
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