Several reporters braved high winds and torrential rain as they delivered the latest updates on Storm Austen.
GB News South of England reporter Isobel Feculak was nearly blown off her feet as she tried to hold an umbrella above her head.
Appearing on camera with her jacket and trousers soaked through, she kept one hand firmly on her head to stop the wind from dislodging her hood.
The reporter could be seen squinting against the conditions as she continued with her live report.
She said: ‘The RNLI are warning people to stay well away from the sea, because a big wave could quite easily come, crash down, knock them over, and drag them out to sea.
‘The fire service are telling people to bring in any loose outdoor furniture in case it flies away and hits anyone.’
Near the end of her report, Ms Feculak raised an umbrella to demonstrate the strength of the wind. It immediately turned inside out and almost pulled her along with it.
Ms Feculak said: ‘I could quite literally blow away. This is my Mary Poppins moment.’
GB News reporter Isobel Feculak (pictured) struggled to hold up her umbrella in the wind, joking that it was her ‘Mary Poppins moment’
Storm Austen has battered Britain with winds of up to 80mph and torrential rain, causing widespread disruption, power cuts, school closures and cancelled trains and flights
Further disruption is expected as Storm Boelo is forecast to bring more wet and windy weather
BBC weather presenter Simon King was among the correspondents who battled the conditions while reporting on the powerful winds.
Reporting from Newquay, Mr King visibly struggled against the rain and wind as he said: ‘The full force of Storm Austen has arrived here in Newquay in Cornwall.
‘Head anywhere near the coast and conditions could be extremely dangerous. You are advised to not go anywhere near coastal areas this morning.’
Good Morning Britain’s Jonathan Swain was also broadcasting from Cornwall in heavy rain and strong winds, describing the conditions as dangerous.
He spoke to local residents, who described the weather as frightening and ‘horrendous’.
ITV’s Good Morning Britain has faced criticism from viewers over its live coverage of Storm Austen.
Many viewers questioned the decision to send a reporter outside during the storm, describing the coverage as ‘absolutely pathetic’ and accusing the programme of scaremongering.
Elsewhere, Sky correspondent Barnaby Papadopulos appeared to be positioned close to the coastline, with powerful waves heard crashing in the background.
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BBC weather presenter Simon King (pictured) warned viewers about dangerous coastal conditions
Sky correspondent Barnaby Papadopulos (pictured) reported road closures, an overturned lorry and travel disruption
The coverage also sparked criticism, with some Good Morning Britain viewers accusing the programme of sensationalising the storm by sending reporters outside in dangerous weather. Pictured is Jonathan Swain
Met Office warnings for Storm Boelo begin at 6pm tomorrow and will run until 9pm on Sunday
At one point, his audio was distorted, due to the severe weather conditions.
He said: ‘We have seen road closures, and in one instance a lorry was tipped over. There have also been flight cancellations.
‘The weather is also going to affect the wider country as well.
‘There is another yellow warning for wind for North Wales, London, the Midlands, and the South East.
Storm Austen smashed into Britain today with 80mph gusts and heavy rain as schools closed and thousands of homes lost power while trains and flights were cancelled.
Commuters endured chaos as motorists in some areas were urged to avoid non-essential journeys after roads became impassable due to flooding and fallen trees.
The storm had its biggest impact in the South West, where more than 16,000 homes were without power, with Cornwall badly hit – especially the area around Penzance.
Some schools in Cornwall were closed for the day or opening later for safety reasons, while the Jersey government told all schools and colleges on the island to shut.
The highest wind speeds recorded this morning were 76mph on the Isles of Scilly, 76mph on Guernsey, 72mph on Jersey and 71mph at Culdrose in Cornwall.
Drivers in Devon and Cornwall were told to only travel if necessary following reports of overturned vans, trees down, fallen power cables and debris blown across roads.
South Western Railway, Southern, Thameslink, Great Western Railway, Northern Rail, CrossCountry and Gatwick Express all warned of train disruption due to the storm.
Some 19 flights were cancelled at Heathrow today, 17 at Gatwick, 13 at Southampton and four at Exeter, according to FlightRadar24 data. All morning flights at Jersey Airport were axed due to a red wind warning, affecting 25 services.
The storm is expected to affect millions more this morning as a yellow warning kicks in across the South East and North West of England, the East Midlands and Wales.
Britain’s Prime Minister has warned that the UK could face a ‘winter of greater flooding’ as Storm Austen and Storm Boelo are expected to bring disruption across the country.
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