A deep area of low pressure is forecast to bring impactful winds on Saturday night and through Sunday to northern parts of the UK. The system will be invigorated by an active jet stream as it crosses the Atlantic before reaching Northern Ireland and western Scotland on Saturday afternoon.
Heavy rain will move in from the west through Saturday, spreading widely across the UK through the day. Wind strength will continue to build through the day too. A Yellow warning for wind has been issued for the whole of mainland Scotland, the Western Isles, Orkney and the far north of England. This warning runs from 1800 Saturday to 2100 Sunday and warns for widespread gusts of 55-65mph widely and up to 70-80mph in more exposed coastal locations.
A separate Yellow warning for wind has been issued for Northern Ireland from 1800 on Saturday to 1500 on Sunday, warning of 50-60mph gusts widely, with up to 65-75mph in exposed regions.
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Chris Bulmer, said: “Storm Boelo will bring strong winds and heavy rain to Northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of northern England over the weekend, impacting the opposite end of the country to Storm Austen. Gusts of 70-80mph in exposed coastal areas and high ground are possible, with 50-60mph gusts more widely. The strong winds will be accompanied by heavy rain, making for an impactful weekend of weather. Severe weather warnings and forecast detail will continue to develop, so people should keep up to date with the forecast over the next few days.”
Storm Boelo [pronounced Boo-loh] is a separate low pressure system to Storm Austen which will bring strong wind and heavy rain to southern parts on Thursday night and Friday. Storm Austen clears into the North Sea by Friday evening.
The Met Office has named #StormBoelo The storm is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain across the UK on Saturday The strongest winds will be across Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England Stay #WeatherAware ⚠️ https://t.co/qIY3h8ZjiN
— Met Office (@metoffice) October 22, 2026
Storm Austen warnings updated
Further south, severe weather warnings associated with Storm Austen have been updated. The Amber severe weather warning for wind has been brought forward to start at 0100 on Friday morning. The wider Yellow warning area has been expanded to cover western Wales and extended in duration to now end at 1700 on Friday evening.
A new Yellow warning for wind has also been issued for a large area of England and Wales. This warning runs from 1000 to 2100 on Friday and warns of gusts reaching 45-55mph across the area.
Met Office Chief Forecaster Neil Armstrong, said: “We’ve updated Amber and Yellow severe weather warnings for Storm Austen. This is the first stormy weather in the south of the UK this season and we expect some disruption as it moves through. With trees in leaf, it is likely fallen branches and trees could obstruct roads and railways so take extra care on the Friday morning commute.”
The strong winds will lead to large waves and dangerous conditions around the coast of Wales and southwest England. People should say away from cliff edges and well back from stormy seas that can sweep you off your feet.
It’s tempting to get close to the sea during a storm, but be aware the waves can sweep you off your feet. 👉 Stay away from cliff edges 👉 Stay back from stormy seas 👉 If you see someone in trouble, call 999 & ask for the Coastguard More: https://t.co/yzxtOvRlao #WeatherReady https://t.co/HpUITS5zoF
— Met Office (@metoffice) October 21, 2026
Ahead of the storm there are steps you can take to protect your property from damage and other people from injury. Check for loose items outside your home and plan how you could secure them in high winds.
Items include:
- bins
- plant pots
- garden furniture (bring inside or secure in place)
- trampolines (turn upside down or secure with tent pegs)
- sheds (ensure doors are locked)
Brief calm before the storms
Before the arrival of the storms, Thursday will be a broadly dry and bright day across the UK. There will be some blustery conditions in eastern parts of Scotland that will ease later in the day.
As Storm Austen tracks eastwards through Friday, heavy rain will spread across the UK, most heavy and persistent in southern and eastern Scotland where a Yellow weather warning has been issued from 0600 on Friday to midnight on Friday night. Accumulations of 20-40 mm are expected widely within the warning area through this period, with 60-80 mm possible in some locations, bringing flooding and travel disruption in a few places.
After Storm Austen clears east there will be a brief ridge of higher pressure overnight on Friday into Saturday before Storm Boelo arrives. Rain will again spill across the UK through Saturday bringing a wet day for most across the UK.
By Sunday, while Boelo will still bring strong winds and heavy rain further north, much of England and Wales will see a burgher, largely dry, although blustery day.
You can find the latest forecast on our website, on YouTube, by following us on X and Facebook, as well as on our mobile app which is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from the Google Play store.
Met Office
