UK weather: Storm Goretti to bring widespread 30cm snow as warnings blanket Britain
Britain is braced for significant disruption as Storm Goretti sweeps across the country, bringing heavy snow, powerful winds and hazardous travel conditions.
Yellow snow warnings now stretch across large parts of East Anglia, the Midlands, northern England and the South West, alongside almost all of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. More severe amber snow warnings have been issued for central Wales, the Midlands and parts of the North, where up to 30cm of snow could fall.
The Met Office warned that in affected areas drivers could become stranded, rail and air services face delays and cancellations, and rural communities may be cut off. Power outages are possible, along with disruption to mobile phone networks and other essential services.
A separate amber warning for strong winds has been issued for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, where gusts of up to 90mph are forecast. Forecasters warned that flying debris could cause injuries or pose a danger to life, while large waves may damage buildings and make coastal roads and seafronts hazardous.
Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong described Storm Goretti as a “multi hazard event”, combining heavy rain, strong winds and significant snowfall. Meteorologist Alex Burkill added that snow accumulations of 20cm or more were possible in some places, enough to cause severe disruption.
Scotland still under deep freeze
In northern Scotland, the impact of prolonged sub zero temperatures continues to be felt. Many schools remain closed for a fourth consecutive day as communities recover from days of heavy snow and ice.
More than 150 schools in Aberdeenshire are shut, alongside dozens in the Highlands and others in Moray and Orkney. On Wednesday alone, around 440 schools were closed across multiple councils, representing nearly one fifth of Scotland’s school estate.
Earlier this week, Aberdeenshire Council declared a major incident, warning of potential power cuts and a strong likelihood that some rural areas could become isolated.
In Insch, one of the worst affected villages, residents described the conditions as among the harshest in decades. Local resident Doug Griffin said it was the worst winter he had seen in 25 years, adding that near foot deep snow had made daily life extremely difficult.
Travel disruption and safety warnings
Storm Goretti is expected to intensify rapidly on Thursday, undergoing what meteorologists call explosive cyclogenesis, where air pressure drops sharply over a short period, leading to particularly strong winds.
The AA urged motorists to take extreme care, warning of widespread black ice. The advice followed a collision in Reading involving a school coach and a bus, in which nine children were injured.
Wintry weather has also caused chaos across parts of Europe, with thousands stranded at airports in Paris and Amsterdam after flight cancellations. At least six people have died in weather related incidents this week, five in France and one in Bosnia.
AA patrol expert Shaun Jones said drivers should consider delaying journeys or working from home where possible, warning that visibility can deteriorate rapidly and familiar routes can become dangerous within seconds.
The BBC heard from Gerard Cairney, who was driving cautiously with his wife on the A887 towards Edinburgh when a tree suddenly fell onto their car. He said the tree bounced off the bonnet, causing only minor damage, but described the experience as frightening.
In the Yorkshire Dales National Park, a volunteer mountain rescuer was photographed climbing a frozen Gordale Scar waterfall, a rare sight that only occurs in prolonged cold spells.
Where the warnings are in place
Amber warnings for heavy snow are in effect from Thursday evening into Friday morning across the Midlands, Wales, South West England and Yorkshire and the Humber. An amber wind warning covers Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on Thursday evening.
Yellow warnings for snow, ice, rain and wind extend across much of the UK, including Scotland, Northern Ireland, eastern England, London and the South East, with timings varying by region.
Storm Goretti is expected to approach south west England by midday on Thursday. As rain spreads northwards later in the day, it will collide with the cold Arctic air mass that has been in place for much of the past week, causing rain to turn to snow.
Mid and east Wales, the Midlands and areas as far north as the southern Pennines are expected to see the heaviest snowfall. Accumulations of 10 to 15cm are likely in many places, with 20 to 30cm possible on higher ground such as the Welsh hills and the Peak District.
Local authorities in the West Midlands said they were preparing for what could be the worst snowfall in a decade. Heavy rain may also cause localised flooding in parts of south west Wales and eastern England.
Read More: 20+ Schools close as temperatures plunge across Norfolk
Snow and rain should gradually ease into Friday morning, but travel disruption is likely to continue, particularly during the morning commute.
Rail services and schools affected
The recent Arctic blast has pushed temperatures to between 4C and 10C below the January average. Hundreds of schools across the UK remained closed on Wednesday, while rail services were severely disrupted.
Passengers have been advised to check journeys before travelling on Thursday and Friday. Several operators, including Avanti West Coast, Transport for Wales and CrossCountry, plan to run reduced services, with cancellations expected.
East Midlands Railway said it would not run services between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield from Thursday evening and throughout Friday, with no replacement buses available.
Cold Weather Payments triggered
The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber cold health alerts for England, in place until Sunday.
The prolonged cold has triggered Cold Weather Payments across at least 697 postcode areas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, meaning more than one million households will receive support.
Eligible households on certain benefits receive £25 automatically when temperatures in their area are recorded or forecast to be 0C or below for seven consecutive days. Payments are made directly into bank accounts within 14 days. Scotland operates a separate winter heating support scheme.
