Thousands of homes are currently without power and schools have been closed as Storm Austen, the first named storm of the year, impacts the UK. The storm brought severe weather conditions to parts of the south-west, with a gust of 76 mph recorded at St Mary’s Airport on the Isles of Scilly on Friday morning.
Power Outages and School Closures
As of just before 11 am, more than 16,000 homes in the south-west were reported to be without power, according to National Grid. Dozens of schools across Cornwall were forced to open late, while others did not open at all due to the adverse conditions.
Upcoming Storm and Warnings
Forecasters have issued an additional amber weather warning for wind, effective from Saturday into Sunday, as the second named storm of the year, Boelo, approaches. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned:
“"We potentially are facing a winter of greater flooding, so it’s about recognising all of those risks and taking action."
A government campaign aimed at encouraging people to stock supplies of food and essentials in case of multi-day emergencies has gained attention. Burnham addressed concerns about the government's preparedness, stating:
