Storm Austen brought wind gusts reaching 84mph and left thousands of homes without electricity as it swept across the UK on Friday, 23 October 2026, according to the BBC. The Met Office named the storm and issued a yellow wind warning covering millions of people. The south-west of England has seen the worst of the disruption so far, with the Guardian reporting widespread power losses in the region.
Why it matters
A named storm carrying gusts of this strength is a serious test for the power network and for everyday life in the affected areas. A yellow warning means people across a wide area should expect travel problems and possible damage, not just those on the coast. When thousands of households lose electricity at once, the effects reach beyond the homes themselves — affecting businesses, schools and anyone who depends on the grid to work or stay warm.
The timing also matters. The storm arrived on a weekday, meaning commuters, shopkeepers and delivery drivers all had to deal with the conditions at the same time. BBC coverage described disruption and a flood warning as the system moved in.
A Newquay cafe counts the cost
In Newquay, on the Cornish coast, the storm has already left its mark on local businesses. At NALU Coffee House, barista Cerys told the BBC that the cafe had come through largely intact, with one unlikely casualty.
She said she believed the wind had forced open a store cupboard, and that she found the cafe's mop out in the car park the following morning, badly bent. She was unsure how the staff would mop the floor that evening.
Cerys, 21, described conditions in the town as very windy and very wet. She linked the strength of the gusts to the cafe's position near a spot locally known as the Aldi wind tunnel, which she said is well known in Newquay. She recalled that a storm last January tore the front off the building.
From the cafe, she said, staff could see people struggling to cross the car park and the sea in the distance, which she described as looking wild.
Getting to work was its own challenge. Cerys said she walked in at 06:15 BST, repeatedly stopping and starting to push against the wind. Her colleague Holly drove instead, and Cerys compared the journey to a video game, with the car swerving around bins that had been blown into the road.
What to watch
The BBC's live coverage indicates the yellow wind warning remains in force for millions of people, so further disruption is possible while the storm passes. Households without power will be watching for reconnection, and anyone in the warned area should keep an eye on Met Office updates and local travel advice.
