Summary

Are you affected by the storm?

Live Reporting

Edited by Rorey Bosotti and Charlotte Hadfield

  1. Thousands of properties still without power in aftermath of Storm Austen

    A map from National Grid shows thousands of homes and businesses are still without power after Storm Austen battered parts of the country yesterday.

    The south-west of England in particular is still experiencing large clusters of power cuts. This includes: 141 properties without power near Beaminster in Dorset, 384 without power near Whimple in East Devon, and 168 hit by power cuts near Penhale in Cornwall.

    National Grid says 117,320 propertieshave been restored with power supplies since the beginning of the storm.

    Map showing power cuts in south-west EnglandNational Grid

  2. Some Scottish rail lines to close ahead of amber wind warning

    Catherine Lyst
    BBC Scotland

    Network Rail has confirmed that a number of routes will close as a precaution, while speed restrictions will be introduced across much of Scotland's railways.

    As a reminder: The Met Office has issued an amber warning for wind over Scotland and northern England from 21:00 on Saturday to 21:00 on Sunday.

    The following rail line closures are planned:

    • Glasgow Central – Ayr will close between Kilwinning and Ayr from 21:00 on Saturday. After 21:00, a half hourly shuttle service will operate between Glasgow Central and Kilwinning in both directions

    • Glasgow Queen Street – Oban / Mallaig will close between Fort William and Mallaig and between Crianlarich and Oban from about 22:00 on Saturday

    • Inverness – Kyle of Lochalsh will close between Kyle of Lochalsh and Achnashellach from the start of service on Sunday

    • Inverness – Wick / Thurso will close between Helmsdale and Wick / Thurso from the start of service on Sunday

    A Met Office map of the UK with areas highlighted in yellow and amber where weather warnings are in placeMet Office

  3. Foyle Bridge shut down due to high winds in Northern Ireland

    Adam Mandeville
    Live page reporter

    An aerial view of Foyle Bridge. A large grey bridge between two grassy land masses. A number of cars are visible crossing the bridge over the River Foyle.Getty Images

    Police in Northern Ireland are advising drivers that traffic disruption is possible due to the weather conditions.

    They also advise motorists to “take extra care” if they must travel and to reduce their speed “because of the possibility of surface water” and to avoid driving through flood water.

    “It may be necessary to close some roads or put temporary restrictions in place - road users are reminded to adhere to road signs and any temporary traffic lights,” a police statement says.

    The storm has also caused a number of road closures in the Republic of Ireland.

    Meanwhile, in Londonderry, Foyle Bridge will remain closed until further notice due to high winds.

  4. Wind gust of 72mph recorded on Scottish island of South Uist

    The strongest of the Storm Boelo winds are yet to come, but here are some of the more notable ones recorded around the UK so far on Saturday:

    • South Uist - 72mph (115 km/h)
    • Tiree - 68mph
    • Magilligan - 65mph
    • Aberdaron - 59mph
    • Islay / Port Ellen - 58mph
    • Capel Curig - 57mph
    • Needles - 56mph

  5. Events cancelled and attractions closed across Scotland and northern England

    A view of Edinburgh CastleGetty Images

    Edinburgh Castle, pictured previously, is one of the attractions that will close this weekend

    Attractions are closed and events have been called off in parts of Scotland and northern England this weekend, with the storm expected to bring high winds and heavy rain.

    Historic Environment Scotland is closing a number of attractions, including Edinburgh Castle on Sunday.

    Meanwhile, City of Edinburgh Council says Princes Street Gardens, Lauriston Castle grounds, and Saughton Winter Gardens will be closed this evening and tomorrow.

    In Ripon, North Yorkshire, the National Trust has called off its "Fountains by Floodlight" event this evening and says the whole estate will be closed on Sunday.

    Darlington has cancelled its outdoor market today "for the safety of our traders and visitors", but says some stalls will still be available inside the market hall.

    Artisanal markets in Quayside (Salford), Croxteth (Liverpool) and West Didsbury (Manchester) have also been called off due to high winds, the Makers Market announced. Others in Uttoxeter (Staffordshire) and Oswestry (Shropshire) may have to close early.

  6. Storm Boelo triggers string of cancellations and closures in Northern Ireland

    In light of the amber and yellow warnings kicking in today in, there have been a number of closures and cancellations across Northern Ireland:

    • Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has cancelled its fireworks display at Ballymoney on Saturday
    • Mid Ulster District Council has also cancelled their Halloween firework event which was due to be held at the Mid Ulster Sports Arena in Cookstown
    • The Antrim Senior Hurling Championship final, which was supposed to be on Sunday, has been postponed until 1 November
    • The Sunflower Trophy motorcycle race meeting at Bishopscourt on Saturday has also been cancelled
    • A number of StenaLine ferry sailings between Belfast and Cairnryan, and Dublin and Holyhead have also been cancelled on Saturday
    • Derry City and Strabane District Council said cemeteries will be open on Saturday and closed on Sunday, except for funerals. Recycling centres will be open on Saturday but closed on Sunday, while outdoor sports facilities, parks and greenways will be closed on both days

  7. Strong winds already battering Northern Ireland

    Barra Best
    BBC News NI weather presenter

    A close up of a puddle on the side of a roadDC/BBC Weather Watchers

    A very wet start in Bellaghy in County Derry on Saturday

    Gusts of 65mph (105km/h) have been battering the north coast of Northern Ireland on Saturday morning with a yellow warning in place from 10:00 BST.

    The same area is expected to record gusts closer to 80mph (130km/h) later with an amber warning coming into place at 21:00 BST until 10:00 GMT on Sunday for coastal areas.

    The storm has already disrupted ferry services between Ireland and Britain on Saturday and Sunday, with a number of outdoor sporting and Halloween events postponed or cancelled altogether.

    A series of warnings are also in place in the Republic of Ireland where it is a bank holiday weekend, with runners facing strong winds on Sunday during the Dublin Marathon.

  8. Recap: What warnings have been issued, and which ones are already in effect

    As we've just reported, there's now three Met Office weather warnings in effect with another three due to kick in this evening - including two more serious amber warnings.

    In effect already

    • A yellow warning for wind for Northern Ireland is running from 10:00 on Saturday to 12:00 on Sunday
    • A yellow warning for rain stretches from the south-east to the south-west of England, across Wales and into north-west England. It runs from 11:00 on Saturday until 23:00 in the evening
    • A yellow wind warning across northern England, north Wales and Scotland is valid from 12:00 on Saturday to 21:00 on Sunday

    Coming later

    • An amber wind warning over Scotland and northern England is valid from 21:00 on Saturday to 21:00 on Sunday
    • In Northern Ireland, an amber warning for wind runs across parts of the north of the region from 21:00 on Saturday to 10:00 on Sunday
    • A yellow rain warning also covers the Highlands of Scotland from 21:00 on Saturday to 15:00 on Sunday
    Map of the UK showing six weather warnings issues; two amber covering most of Scotland including the Orkneys plus the north of Northern ireland; two yellow wind warnings covering Scotland and the whole of Northern Ireland; a two yellow wind rain warnings covering Scotland, northern England, Wales, south west of England and southern EnglandMet Office

  9. Yellow wind warning comes into effect over Scotland and parts of England
    Breaking

    It's now 12:00 BST - and a third weather warning is now in place.

    This one is a yellow wind warning across Scotland, as well as parts of northern England, the East Midlands and north Wales.

    It will remain in place until 21:00 tomorrow.

    The Met Office says it's possible flying debris and large waves in coastal areas could cause injuries and danger to life. It also warns of damage to buildings and trees, travel disruption and possible power cuts.

  10. 'Tough decision' as north Wales marathon cancelled

    Angela Ferguson
    BBC Wales News

    Eryri National Park, formerly known as Snowdonia, pictured previouslyGetty Images

    Eryri National Park, formerly known as Snowdonia, pictured previously

    Organisers of the Eryri marathon in Gwynedd, in north Wales, say they are "heartbroken" after having to cancel this year's event due to the stormy weather.

    It was due to take place today but an assessment of the course deemed it unsafe due to wind, floods and debris from trees.

    Volunteer Stephen Edwards has told BBC Radio Wales that they had to make a call by 18:00 BST on Friday at the latest because some runners were travelling from far afield.

    He says: "It was a tough decision but we had to do it really because of the safety of the runners and the marshals that are out there even longer."

  11. Winds may strengthen this afternoon, ushering in a rash of sharp thundery showers

    Louise Lear
    BBC Weather

    A map of Scotland and Northern Ireland highlighted in orange in parts where an amber wind warning will be in place. Bottom right: An orange and white box indicating the timings of the warning, from 21:00 on Saturday until 21:00 on Sunday

    Storm Boelo is quickly deepening as it sweeps in from the Atlantic.

    Expect a prolonged spell of widespread heavy rain to push east and winds strengthening. Gusts of 40-50mph are likely for many, 50-60mph along west facing coasts and 70mph further north, with the risk of 80 mph across parts of Scotland.

    The rain will gradually clear later this afternoon but as the centre of the low pressure drifts east across Scotland winds may strengthen further and a rash of sharp thundery showers will persist overnight – so a very wild and potentially hazardous Saturday night is in store across the northern half of the UK.

    Into Sunday and Storm Boelo drifts out into the Norwegian Sea but it will continue to bring very strong winds to much of the UK, but with the worst affected areas once again being across the northern half of the country.

    Amber wind warnings for storm Boelo remain in force for most of Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland and far north of England from 21:00 on Saturday until 21:00 Sunday. Warning updates are possible today.

  12. UK weather warnings: What you need to know

    When dangerous weather is forecast, a weather warning will be issued by the Met Office, the UK’s national weather service.

    Weather warnings are given a colour – yellow, amber or red - with yellow being the lowest, and red the most serious. The colour assigned depends on a combination of two things: the impact the weather is likely to have and the likelihood of it happening.

    • Yellow warnings:Are the ones you will see most often. They give you a heads up that severe weather is possible and to start planning for impacts to either travel, power or property
    • Amber warnings:Mean travel disruption is more likely and there is a potential risk to life and property
    • Red warnings: These are rare, and have only been issued a handful of times in recent years. They mean the Met Office believes that dangerous, potentially life-threatening weather is expected imminently and you should immediately take action to keep yourself and other safe
    A grid with colours ranging from green to yellow to orange to red. The yellow box is ticked

    An example of a Met Office warning matrix. Here, the position of the tick indicates that a yellow weather warning would be issued

  13. Yellow rain warning kicks in over Wales and large parts of England
    Breaking

    It's now 11:00 BST which means the second weather warning has just taken effect - a yellow rain warning covering large swathes of the country.

    Affected areas include the south-east, north-west England, south-west England, Wales, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber.

    The warning remains in place until 23:00 tonight.

    The Met Office says to expect spray and flooding on roads, travel disruption and possible power cuts. It says flooding of some homes and businesses is also possible.

    • As a reminder: In an hour's time, a third warning will kick in - this time a yellow wind warning over Scotland and parts of England and Wales

  14. 'Hazardous' road conditions expected in Scotland, as drivers encouraged to delay journeys

    Police in Scotland has issued some travel advice ahead of Storm Boelo, with officials warning of "hazardous" conditions and a "high risk of disruption on the road network".

    "Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary or if it can be delayed until conditions improve," says Supt Andy Barclay.

    "Stopping distances can be at least double on wet roads compared to dry conditions, and spray can reduce driver visibility."

    HGV and bus drivers have been told to drive with "extreme caution" and are being told they might be asked to park in a "suitable position" by the police.

  15. Disruption expected across Scotland

    Graham Fraser
    BBC Scotland News

    A sandy beach in North Ayrshire on a story day, grey clouds in the sky and some big waves in the backgroundJulieBee/BBC Weather Watchers

    It's already looking rather grey in North Ayrshire this morning

    An amber weather warning is in place for the whole of mainland Scotland and the Western Isles from 21:00 tonight until 21:00 on Sunday.

    The Met Office says flying debris caused by very strong winds of up to 80mph could cause injuries, while there is a chance of power cuts and damage to buildings.

    The strongest winds will initially affect the west of Scotland - probably around the Western Isles and the coasts or Argyll - and the storm will then travel eastwards through Sunday.

    Transport Scotland has said road, rail, air and ferry services are all likely to be affected by the conditions.

    At the time of writing, 14 ferry services from CalMac have been cancelled. Anyone planning on travelling this weekend is urged to check before leaving home.

  16. Irish Sea ferry crossings cancelled as Storm Boelo hits

    Ralph Hewitt
    BBC News NI

    Photo of the entrance to the Port of Belfast, a lorry driving towards itGetty Images

    Sailings between Belfast, Liverpool and Cairnryan, near Stranraer, have been cancelled today, as well as those from Dublin and Holyhead, due to the bad weather.

    The Met Office has a yellow weather warning for wind across Northern Ireland which started at 10:00 BST, while the north coast of the country will be placed under an amber warning from 21:00.

    Meanwhile, the Republic of Ireland’s meteorological service Met Éireann has issued several Status Yellow and Orange wind warnings for a number of counties.

    Belfast International Airport and Dublin Airport are advising passengers to check with their airline for the latest status of their flight.

    In preparation for the storm, Northern Ireland’s Department of Infrastructure has said their teams have been checking and clearing road gullies, monitoring river levels and tidal surges, and deploying a portion of temporary flood defences.

    • You can read more about the warnings in place for Northern Ireland in our story

  17. As Storm Boelo hits UK, thousands still without power after Austen

    Storm Boelo is beginning to bring heavy winds and rain to the UK - but thousands of people are still being affected by Storm Austen, which arrived on Friday.

    As of 09:45 BST, 5,774 properties in England and Wales have power cuts.

    The majority are in south-west England - the area most affected by Austen yesterday.

    This National Grid map shows the location of power cuts - orange markers represent a singe "incident" (usually involving multiple properties), while blue circles represent multiple incidents

    This National Grid map shows the location of power cuts - orange markers represent a singe "incident" (usually involving multiple properties), while blue circles represent multiple incidents

  18. Yellow wind warning kicks in for Northern Ireland

    It's 10:00, which means the yellow wind warning over Northern Ireland is now in effect.

    It will remain in place until 12:00 tomorrow.

    In an hour's time, a yellow rain warning will also come into effect across Wales and large parts of England.

    According to the Met Office, a yellow warning for wind means people should: "Prepare to protect your property and people from injury. Check for loose items outside your home and plan how you could secure them. Items include: bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences."

  19. Met Office issues fresh yellow rain warning
    Breaking

    The Met Office has just issued another fresh weather warning - this time a yellow rain warning covering parts of Scotland.

    It kicks in from 21:00 BST tonight, and is in place until 15:00 GMT tomorrow.

    The areas affected are:

    • Central, Tayside & Fife
    • Grampian
    • Highlands & Eilean Siar

    This means a total of six warnings are now in place across the UK.

    Map of the UK with most of Scotland, Wales and southern Englan under a yellow weather warning, Northern Ireland under an amber and yellow wind warnings. Scotland and parts of northern England under an amber warning for windMet Office

  20. More on the new weather warnings from the Met Office

    We can now bring you more details on the two new weather warnings issued by the Met Office.

    Amber wind warning: This is in place in north-west Northern Ireland from 21:00 BST today to 10:00 tomorrow, impacting Antrim and Londonderry. The wind warning issued previously for Scotland has been extended south across northern England into northern Wales - it will kick in at 21:00.

    Yellow rain warning: This is in place from 11:00 to 23:00 today. It affects Wales and large parts of England, including the South East, the North West, the South West, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber.

    These are in addition to the three wind warnings (two yellow and one amber) that were already in place.

    Map showing Met Office weather warningsMet Office