AS STORM Austen approaches from the Atlantic Ocean, it would appear that it could have a bigger bite than anticipated.

The Met Office have upgraded their weather warning from yellow to amber for the time period covering the morning on Friday, October 23 as their latest forecast indicates a potential for stronger winds.

The amber weather warning is in place from 3am on Friday until 10am.

The Met Office amber weather warning states: “A spell of very strong northwesterly winds is likely on Friday morning. There is a good chance that gusts of 60 to 70 mph will develop widely for a time with perhaps some gusts around 80 mph for exposed headlands. Very strong winds will be combined with spells of heavy rain. Remaining windy for the rest of Friday but winds will gradually ease.”

However, after the warning expires at 10am, there will still be a yellow weather warning in place until 2pm.

This warning states: “Strong west to northwesterly winds will spread across southern parts of England and Wales during Thursday night and into Friday. Gusts of 50 to 60 mph are likely and some coastal or exposed areas could see 70 mph or more, this more likely over parts of southwest England.

“Ahead of this, a spell of southerly winds with gusts of 50 to 60 mph will move east along the south coast of England during Thursday night. Winds will slowly ease during Friday afternoon.Strong winds will be also combined with periods of heavy rain making for difficult travel conditions.”

Potential for wet weekend

Independent weather forecasters, the Kernow Weather Team have issued a ‘weather watch’ for Saturday, which is their term for a potentially developing weather system.

The forecasters at KWT, who monitor multiple weather forecasting models have said that the weekend could bring further rain.

They said: “At the moment, two of the main weather forecasting models we use, the European ECMWF and the UK Met Office UKMO model, are showing a rather wet Saturday across Cornwall.

“Both models are currently suggesting the possibility of 20 to 40 mm of rainfall in some locations, with rain potentially affecting us for much of the day, from around 7am through to 10pm.

“That's a possible 15-hour window of unsettled weather, although it doesn't necessarily mean 15 hours of constant heavy rain.

“Some locations could see spells of moderate to heavy rainfall, while others might catch a few lighter periods. Of course, rainfall totals will vary depending on how the rain bands develop and exactly where the heaviest rain sets up. And unfortunately, it could be rather blustery too, with wind gusts of around 20 to 50 mph possible.”

What should people do during a weather warning?

The Met Office advice states: “Driving in these conditions can be dangerous, for yourself and other road users. If you must drive, you can do this more safely by taking the following actions; drive slowly to minimise the impact of wind gusts, be aware of high-sided vehicles/caravans on more exposed roads and be cautious when overtaking, and give cyclists, motorcyclists, lorries, and buses more room than usual.Being outside in high winds makes you more vulnerable to injury. Stay indoors as much as possible.

“If you do go out, try not to walk, or shelter, close to buildings and trees. In advance of high winds, check for loose items outside your home and secure them. Items include: bins, garden furniture, trampolines, tents, sheds, and fences.If you are on the coast, stay safe during stormy weather by being aware of large waves. Even from the shore large breaking waves can sweep you off your feet and out to sea.

“Take care if walking near cliffs; know your route and keep dogs on a lead. In an emergency, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.People cope better with power cuts when they have prepared for them in advance. It's easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.

“Stay up to date with the weather forecast for your area and follow advice from emergency services and local authorities.”