Boelo: Met Office names second storm to hit UK in 24 hours

The second named storm of the season is set to hit the UK on Saturday, the Met Office has said.

Storm Boelo is expected to mostly affect northern parts of the country over the weekend.

Forecasters say the strongest winds will be across Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England on Saturday.

The Met Office warning comes less than 48 hours after it announced the first named storm, Austen, which is set to hit on Friday, with south-west England bearing the brunt of its northwesterly winds.

Dr Chloe Brimicombe, from the University of Oxford, told Sky News that the events come as "climate whiplash" - following on from record-breaking heat this past spring and summer.

When Boelo hits, it will bring "impactful winds" to northern parts on Saturday night and through Sunday, the Met Office warned.

It will arrive in Northern Ireland and western Scotland on Saturday afternoon, having been "invigorated by an active jet stream as it crosses the Atlantic".

The whole of the UK can expect heavy rain on Saturday, as the storm moves in from the west and wind strength builds through the day.

A yellow warning for wind has been issued for the whole of mainland Scotland, the Western Isles, Orkney and the far north of England from 6pm Saturday until 9pm on Sunday.

Widespread gusts of 55-65mph are forecast, with more exposed coastal regions facing wind speeds of 70-80mph.

A separate yellow warning for wind has been issued for Northern Ireland from 6pm on Saturday to 3pm on Sunday, with gusts of up to 50-60mph widely expected, rising to 65-75mph in exposed areas.

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Met Office deputy chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said Storm Boelo will affect "the opposite end of the country to Storm Austen" as strong winds and heavy rain create "an impactful weekend of weather".

As Storm Austen approaches, the forecaster has updated its severe weather warnings.

An amber warning for wind begins at 1am on Friday until 5pm, covering Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and Devon.

A yellow wind warning has also been issued across a large area of England and Wales, from 10am to 9pm on Friday, with gusts of 45 to 55 mph forecast.

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It comes as Dr Brimicombe told Sky News that the two storms are "climate whiplash" after this year's five heatwaves, a phenomenon becoming more common with climate change.

"Climate change affects the jet stream, which is one of the main drivers behind weather in the UK," she added. "And so this is high up in the atmosphere, and basically this is what is strengthening over the weekend, bringing these two storms at the moment.

"But it also is the driver behind the sort of heatwaves that we have in the summer and the droughts as well. So what we're seeing at the moment in the UK and other parts of the world is this flip-flop effect from one type of extreme weather to another."

She also noted that despite the rain, drought conditions will remain in some areas.

Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said Storm Austen is bringing "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."

Mr Armstrong predicted "large waves and dangerous conditions around the coast of Wales and southwest England", urging people to "stay away from cliff edges and well back from stormy seas that can sweep you off your feet".

Winds will gradually ease over Friday as Storm Austen clears into the North Sea by the evening - before Boelo arrives at the weekend.

(c) Sky News 2026: Boelo: Met Office names second storm to hit UK in 24 hours