The Isle of Man Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Friday as Storm Austen and Storm Boelo prepare to give the island a proper old-fashioned battering.

Heavy rain is expected from 3am on Friday, with the warning in place until 3pm. The whole island is covered, so nobody gets to escape by hiding behind Snaefell.

Storm Austen is bringing Friday’s miserable mix of strong winds and persistent rain, with between 15mm and 30mm expected to fall.

That’s enough to cause localised flooding, particularly if drains are blocked. So, if your road turns into a temporary river, you’ve probably found one.

The Met Office says the rain will become heavy and persistent overnight before gradually easing on Friday morning and into the afternoon.

But before anyone starts putting the washing out, there’s another storm on the way.

Storm Boelo is expected to bring even rougher conditions over the weekend, with an amber weather warning expected to be issued.

The worst of it is forecast during the early hours of Sunday, when severe gales could bring gusts of up to 70mph.

That’s the sort of wind that’ll have your wheelie bin heading for a new life in the next parish, so make sure anything loose outside is secured.

Amber warnings mean a greater risk of disruption to travel, work and schools, as well as possible damage and a risk of injury.

The good news? Winds are expected to ease on Sunday afternoon, with some sunshine forecast. Whether you’ll be able to find your garden furniture by then is another matter.

For now, keep an eye on the forecasts, secure anything that could blow away and don’t drive through floodwater.

Stay safe, fellow islanders.