Image source, Alex Bailey

Here's a round up of disruption in Cornwall.

• There are currently more than 9,000 homes and businesses without power in Cornwall, with most in the west of the county, including more than 3,000 registered vulnerable customers
• On the roads police have closed a road outside Bodriggy School in Hayle after reports of a power line being brought down and sparking.
• The A39 between Trispen and Truro is cleared and the A30 eastbound has reopened between Tolvadon Camborne and Redruth Avers
• The A394 Penryn to Helston road is blocked between Edgecombe and Trewannack
• Traffic is slow around the Treluswell Roundabout near Penryn because of fallen branches and debris on the road
• In Bodmin, the A38 between Bodmin Parkway Station and Carminow Cross Roundabout is very slow, and there are fallen trees blocking part of the B3266 near Pencarrow House
• There are also reports of a fallen tree on The Coach Road near St Ives Holiday Village.

The Government of Jersey says the following roads are blocked:

• La Grande Route de St Laurent - trampoline
• La Grande Route des Mielles - tree

• La Route de Plemont - tree

• Le Route de la Francheville - tree
• La Grande Route de St Brelade - tree
• La Route de la Cote - tree
• Le Mont Sohier - flooding

As Storm Austen lashes the UK, here's what you need to know:

• Power cuts are affecting nearly 7,000 homes in Cornwall and Devon
• Great Western Railway (GWR) says speed limits will be in place on routes between Devon and Cornwall until 13:00 BST
• Flights to and from Exeter Airport have been cancelled
• A red warning is in place for Guernsey and Jersey; Cornwall and parts of Devon are under an amber weather warning for strong winds. A yellow rain warning is in place in parts of Scotland, including the Lothian Borders
• A further yellow weather warning for wind is kicking in from 10:00 for millions across the South East and North West of England, the East Midlands and Wales
• All schools in Jersey have been told to close on Friday. Guernsey schools are also closed. A number of schools are also closed or opening late in Cornwall
• Devon County Council is urging people to postpone non-essential journeys
• In Cornwall, locals are reporting disruptions due to fallen trees and power lines

Simon King
Lead weather presenter, in Newquay

The winds are ferocious here in Newquay this morning.

Windows and doors have been rattling of the shelter I’m trying to stay in and it’s difficult to walk straight outside with heavy rain driving into your face.

Storm Austen is currently moving east along the English Channel but it’s the western flank of the storm where the most dangerous winds are hitting south-west England, the Isle of Scilly and the Channel Islands.

Gusts have been close to 80mph (130 km/h) and it’s going to stay like this through the morning.

Other parts of England and Wales will see strengthening winds through the day and while not as powerful as here in the south-west, strong enough to bring some minor impacts and travel disruption.

As Storm Austen crosses the South West, amber weather warnings are in place from the Met Office.

Here is the latest travel disruption:

• The central lane is closed on the Tamar Bridge between Devon and Cornwall, and Newquay and Exeter airports are reporting some flight cancellations.
• There is just one ferry running on the Torpoint crossing here and operator Tamar Crossing says there is about an hour's queue for the ferry from Torpoint, and 30 minutes form Devonport.
• Train company GWR is running with lower speed limits on routes in Devon and Cornwall and it is operating fewer trains than normal.
• Long distance services towards Devon and Cornwall are running between Reading and Plymouth only.

Haven says its Perran Sands and Riviere Sands sites in Cornwall will be shut during Storm Austen.

"Anyone staying on the park is being asked to leave and we’ll be delaying arrivals," a spokesperson says.

"We’re communicating directly with everyone affected about their options and will offer those due to arrive on Friday a break at another Haven park or a later arrival in Cornwall.

"We’re really sorry that people’s breaks are being disrupted but safety of our guests and team comes first."

Image source, Lewis Clarke/Geograph

Liberty Bus is asking people in Jersey to check its service disruption page before travelling this morning.

Numbers 2, 3, 12, 15 and 33 have had to change their routes so check its website, external.

It adds all double decker buses won't be out until the wind eases - which is expected to be at about 12:00 or 13:00 BST.

The government is advising you to avoid going outside during the stormy conditions as a red wind warning is in place.

Network Rail Scotland says trains will be slowed down to keep people safe in the areas expected to see the heaviest rain.

Speed restrictions will be in place on parts of the West Coast Main Line and East Coast Main Line, as well as routes across southern and eastern Scotland.

Some journeys will take longer as a result.

Craig Gorman, head of operational weather strategy at Network Rail Scotland, said: "We know any disruption from these storms will be frustrating, particularly as it's the weekend, but we'll do everything we can to keep people moving wherever it's safe to do so."

Channel Islands Coop says it will not open any of its food and pharmacy stores in Jersey and Guernsey until 13:00 BST due to safety reasons.

It adds home deliveries and in-store services may also be affected during Storm Austen.

DFDS has cancelled all fast ferries in Jersey until the end of the weekend because of the strong winds.

Its next high-speed sailing will be a rescheduled crossing to St Malo on Monday.

The ferry company said it was considering running a service to Portsmouth on Sunday, and more freight services over the weekend, if weather conditions allow.

Stav Danaos
BBC Weather

Here are the latest wind gusts across the far South West, which have eased slightly over the past hour as the strongest winds continue to move eastwards.

The St Mawes passenger ferry in Cornwall has been cancelled.

The service between St Mawes and Falmouth said it was suspending services "due to strong winds and adverse weather conditions".

The service carries more than 162,000 passengers a year on the 2.8 mile (4.5km) route.

In Scotland, a yellow warning for rain is in place for central and eastern areas which will last until midnight.

Forecasters say some places could experience 60-80mm (2.5-3 inches) of rain, with a risk of flooding and travel disruption.

Storm Boelo will follow hard on its heels on Saturday, with another yellow weather warning issued, this time for high winds, for the whole of mainland Scotland, the Western Isles and Orkney.

The wind warning will come into force from 18:00 BST on Saturday and last until 21:00 on Sunday with gusts of 50-65mph (80-105 km/h) forecast, possibly reaching 80mph (130 km/h) in exposed locations.

Due to Storm Austen, Loganair says it has been forced to cancel several flights it operates.

A message on its website, external says 18 flights today, along with a flight which was due to fly between Southampton and Jersey on Thursday evening, are cancelled.

Routes affected on Friday include Jersey to Bristol, Manchester to Cornwall Airport Newquay, and Edinburgh to Exeter.

It adds people due to fly from Bristol, Cornwall Airport Newquay, Exeter, Jersey and Southampton during a yellow wind warning active until Friday afternoon, can change their flight at no cost.

The airline adds: "We plan to operate all other scheduled services, and we have standby aircraft and crews in place to recover any disrupted flights as soon as conditions allow."

Bridget in Nancledra, near St Ives, told BBC Radio Cornwall: "We've been rocking and rolling."

She said her power had been on and off since 05:00 BST.

She is a farmer and said her power went off at milking time.

However it didn't affect her too much and she says her neighbours have generators.

Enzo Davy from the Jersey Met live weather team says while the storm has passed over the Channel Islands, conditions are still hazardous outside.

He says between 08:00 and 10:00 BST, storm force 10 wind gusts of around 85mph (137km/h) are possible.

"Although centre of storm has technically moved through the area, the weather is still expected to worsen for a time as winds continue to strengthen," he says.

"So while the centre of the storm may have passed, the danger certainly hasn't.

"The latest advice from the authorities remains to stay at home unless it's necessary to go out."

Travellers can expect delays at the Tamar Bridge crossing between Devon and Cornwall.

The operator Tamar Crossings said because of the high winds it has closed the centre lane.

It has also reduced the ferry service between Torpoint in Cornwall and Devonport in Devon to a one ferry service "due to extreme weather conditions preventing the Lynher ferry from landing safely at Devonport".

In Cornwall the A30 bypass eastbound near Redruth is blocked because of debris on the road and an accident between Tolvaddon and Avers roundabout, the Inrix traffic service is reporting.

It says traffic is coping well.

Deputy Paul Montague, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture at the States of Guernsey, says school closures on the island were undertaken on safety grounds.

"The peak of the weather is coming through between 6am and midday and we didn't want people travelling to school when there could be debris, particularly after a dry summer when there might be an increased instance of trees maybe being damaged," he tells BBC Radio Guernsey.

He adds his committee has been asked to look into how it makes decisions and what provisions can be provided to pupils when storms happen so "learning's not lost".

As well as the amber warning for wind that's currently in force across parts of Devon and Cornwall, a Met Office yellow warning for wind has been in place since 22:00 BST on Thursday evening.

The yellow warning covers wider parts of the South West, as well as the south coast of England, and south and western Wales.

From 07:00 BST, there has also been a yellow warning for rain in force across parts of southern and eastern Scotland.

Later this morning, at 10:00 BST, a further Met Office weather warning will come into force across other regions of England, stretching from the South East, up to the North West.

Image source, Met Office

David Dixon
Reporting from Porthleven in Cornwall

There are some very, very big rollers coming in at Porthleven in Cornwall.

I was awoken by howling wind about 04:30.

There were bins over the road in Penzance.

It's blowing pretty hard and there is heavy rain.

There is lots of debris and branches over the road.