Amber warning issued for Storm Austen as 80mph gusts forecast to hit south-west England

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for strong winds as Storm Austen is forecast to sweep across parts of the UK, according to the BBC [1]. The warning, the second-highest tier the Met Office issues, is valid for Cornwall and parts of west Devon from 03:00 until 10:00 BST on Friday. Wind gusts of up to 80mph are expected around exposed coasts, with 60-70mph gusts elsewhere, according to the Met Office [1]. Flying debris could lead to injuries or a danger to life, with the risk of power cuts and damage to buildings, the Met Office said [1]. A broader yellow Met Office wind warning covers large swathes of southern England and south Wales, where some travel disruption is possible [1]. Southern and eastern Scotland is also covered by a separate Met Office yellow warning, this one for heavy rain which could bring the risk of flooding, according to the report [1]. Storm Austen, an area of low pressure, is currently developing in the Atlantic and will continue to deepen as it approaches the UK, the BBC reported [1]. It is expected to move close to south-west England on Thursday night, with the strongest winds arriving early on Friday morning. The windiest conditions are expected on coastal headlands in north and west Cornwall, exposed to north-westerly gales, though gusts of up to 70mph could occur even inland, according to the Met Office [1]. The Met Office said there is a high risk of significant disruption, with possible delays to road and rail transport, and a likelihood of injuries and danger to life from flying debris and large waves along the coast [1]. Some power cuts are also possible, the forecaster added [1]. The centre of the storm is then forecast to move through the English Channel, meaning the Channel Islands — which fall outside the Met Office warning system — could be hit by damaging winds, according to the report [1]. Strong winds will spread across many other southern parts of the UK during Friday, with a yellow warning covering the rest of south-west England, the English Channel coast and south Wales, where 50-60mph gusts are likely and 70mph gusts possible in exposed spots [1]. Heavy rain will also sweep across the country, described by the BBC as much needed in southern areas where severe drought has been declared [1]. The most persistent downpours are expected across southern and eastern Scotland, where 20-40mm of rain is likely and up to 80mm could fall in a few places, bringing a risk of flooding and travel disruption, according to the Met Office warning [1]. Some snow is possible over mountains above 600m as cold air interacts with the wet weather, the report said [1]. Storm Austen is being driven towards the UK by a powerful jet stream across the Atlantic, with core speeds expected to reach around 200mph, according to the BBC [1]. The jet stream is forecast to continue delivering weather systems towards the UK, with a further unnamed area of low pressure expected over the weekend that could bring gales, particularly to the northern half of the UK, with computer models suggesting gusts of 80mph or more in western Scotland, the report said [1]. More areas of low pressure are expected to move in from the Atlantic next week, meaning further spells of wind and rain interspersed with drier periods, though there are signs high pressure could bring calmer conditions to the south by the start of November, with a good deal of uncertainty at that range, according to the Met Office [1].