Storm Austen Disrupts France and Britain
Storm Austen brought powerful winds and heavy rainfall across France and Britain on Friday, October 23, 2026, leaving nearly 300,000 homes in France and around 12,000 homes in Britain without electricity. Winds reached 111 mph (179 km/h), bringing down trees and scattering debris across roads, disrupting traffic and transport services.
France experienced significant travel disruptions, with rail services suspended across Normandy and major delays expected on Paris commuter routes. Flights were diverted from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Orly and other airports. French electricity operator Enedis reported that most power outages occurred in Brittany and Normandy, while Britain’s National Grid worked to restore electricity to affected homes.
France’s weather agency issued orange alerts across much of the northwest, warning that strong winds and thunderstorms would continue into Friday evening. Meanwhile, the UK’s Met Office warned that another storm, named Boelo, could affect Northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of northern England over the weekend, bringing heavy rain and wind gusts of up to 80 mph in exposed areas.
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