Strong winds connected to Storm Austen caused operational disruption at Manchester Airport on Saturday 24 October 2026, with flights circling, aircraft diverting and delays to both departures and arrivals as the Met Office issued a local yellow wind warning.
What happened at Manchester Airport
Local reporting said planes were struggling to land and were forced to hold or divert because of the gusty conditions. The yellow warning covered Greater Manchester and Cheshire and was in force from 10:00 until 21:00 on Friday, with the forecaster warning of damaging gusts and travel disruption across the region.
“The strongest winds will initially affect western Scotland and the far north of Northern Ireland on Saturday eve”
The live updates noted gusts of up to 80mph in parts of south-west England from related weather systems and widespread gusts of 60–70mph in affected areas, with the highest gusts expected in exposed locations. Reporting also flagged an amber alert for Scotland ahead of Storm Boelo arriving on Saturday.
Operational and passenger impacts
On-site reporting captured flights circling while awaiting clearance to land and some aircraft diverting from Manchester because of the wind. Events across the region were cancelled and public transport warnings were issued as the storm was expected to cause disruption on roads and rail as well as at the airport. The Met Office forecast additionally warned of flying debris and potential damage to buildings.
- Yellow wind warning in force for Greater Manchester and Cheshire (10:00–21:00 on Friday)
- Aircraft holding and diversions reported at Manchester Airport due to strong winds
- Widespread gusts of 60–70mph, with exposures up to 80mph reported elsewhere
| warning | area | expected gusts |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow wind warning | Greater Manchester, Cheshire | damaging gusts (local impacts) |
| Regional forecast | South-west England / Scotland | 60–70mph widely; up to 80mph in exposed areas |
Operators and passengers were advised to expect disruption as gusts eased only gradually. The Met Office commentary underscored the likelihood of travel impacts, including delays to flights and interruptions across surface transport networks.
Reporting emphasised that flying debris was “likely” and that the storm might cause damage such as tiles being blown from roofs, reinforcing the broader public-safety context for airport and airline contingency planning during the event.
