Storm overflows surge across England and Wales as wet weather sweeps in

A spell of wet and increasingly windy weather is moving across England and Wales, with the Met Office warning that the UK could see its first named storm of the autumn by the end of the week, according to [1]. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for wind covering 17 areas of Wales, in place from midnight on Friday until midday, according to [1]. The warning covers Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan, according to [1]. Forecasters say an area of low pressure is moving across the UK, bringing bands of rain and strong winds, with some coastal areas of Wales potentially seeing gusts of up to 70mph, according to the Met Office as reported by [1]. The Met Office forecast, cited in [1], states: "Strong west to northwesterly winds may spread across southern parts of England and Wales on Friday. Gusts of 50-60 mph are possible and some coastal or exposed areas could see 70 mph or more, but at this time there is uncertainty in where the strongest winds will be. There will be some periods of heavy rain which will make travel more difficult." The Met Office has warned of possible damage to properties, including tiles being blown from roofs, as well as a small risk of injury from flying debris, according to [1]. Transport disruption and power cuts are also possible, and people have been advised to secure loose items such as bins, garden furniture and trampolines, with those on the coast warned of the danger from large waves, according to [1]. Should the system intensify into a named storm, it would be called Storm Austen, according to [1]. The BBC, quoted in [1], said weather models suggest the jet stream could guide a deep area of low pressure across the UK by Friday, bringing gales or even severe gales wrapped around the low. The BBC added that most computer models currently track the centre of the low pressure system across the south of the UK, putting the highest risk of disruptive winds over southernmost parts of England and Wales and possibly eastern coastal counties of England, while some models show a more northerly track that could bring gales and disruption to Scotland and Northern Ireland as well, according to [1]. Against this backdrop of heavy and sustained rainfall, storm overflow discharges across England and Wales have risen sharply, with 122 overflows recorded as active against a typical level of 27 for this time, reflecting the volume of rain moving through river catchments and drainage networks as the wet weather system tracks across the country. The Met Office has cautioned that the track and strength of the system remain uncertain and that forecasts may change, urging people to keep across updated warnings as the week progresses, according to [1].