The first named storm of the season is set to bring gusts up to 50mph and heavy rain to London.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for London and the South East from 10am to 9pm on Friday.

Heavy rain is expected through the morning with winds approaching 50mph as the day wears on.

Storm Austen is expected to hit south-west England strongest, with an amber warning for wind in Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly from 1am.

Forecasters have warned of very strong north-westerly winds, with gusts of 60-70mph developing widely and some gusts of up to 80mph for exposed headlands.

Over the weekend, Storm Boelo will affect Northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of northern England with what the Met Office described as “impactful winds”.

Storm Boelo is a separate low pressure system to Storm Austen, which is due to clear into the North Sea by Friday morning.

In London, gusts are expected to exceed 40mph on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Met Office.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Elizabeth Rizzini said “two really deep areas of pressure” would move in from the Atlantic.

In the UK, storms are typically named when they are forecast to cause significant damage or disruption, leading to an amber or red weather warning.

Neil Armstrong, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: “This is 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.”

People are warned to stay away from cliff edges and from stormy seas.

They are also urged to check for loose items outside homes – such as plant pots, garden furniture, trampolines and bins – and to plan for them to be secured in high winds.It comes as forecasters predict a huge El Nino phenomenon in the Pacific could cause wetter and wilder weather this autumn.

The Met Office also issued an update on the polar vortex that could cause chaos in London and across the UK this winter.

In the Met Office’s long range update, the forecast read that weather systems from the Atlantic “will bring spells of rain, heavy at times, together with a risk of strong winds or gales.”

“Between systems it will be drier and brighter with some sunshine, but also with a few showers in places. Temperatures may be slightly below normal at first, but are likely to rise above average later,” it said.