Storm Austen causes travel disruption and flooding across Ireland and Britain

Storm Austen has caused heavy rain, surface flooding, fallen trees, and travel disruption across Ireland as it moves east, according to reports from the Irish Examiner, the Irish Independent, and The Liberal. Orange rain warnings came into effect on Thursday night. The Liberal reported that the weather caused extremely difficult and potentially dangerous conditions for early travellers on Friday morning. [1][2][3][6]

The Status Orange warning for Cork, Kerry, and Waterford ended at 5am on Friday morning, but surface flooding and saturated ground remain, according to The Liberal and the Irish Examiner. Heavy rainfall continues to affect eastern and southeastern counties, with active Status Orange warnings in place for Dublin, Wexford, and Wicklow. [1][3]

In the United Kingdom, the BBC reported that an amber warning was put in place as the storm hit parts of the south-west on Friday. The Hereford Times reported that the storm is bringing heavy rain and 45mph winds, while the BBC noted that strong winds of up to 70mph could affect Wales. An earlier report from FTMQ News noted that Storm Austen is the first named storm of the European windstorm season, which runs from September to August. [7][9][12][13][16]

Gardaí have advised drivers in Ireland to take extreme care on the roads while the storm peaks, as reported by The Liberal. Local authorities and emergency services in Devon and Bournemouth also issued flood alerts, road closures, and travel warnings ahead of the storm's arrival. [6][8][10]