The UK is reeling from Storm Goretti, which has brought powerful winds and heavy snow across wide parts of the country, leaving communities cut off and tens of thousands without electricity.
Authorities issued multiple warnings as travel networks shut down, schools closed, and emergency services scrambled to respond to the worsening conditions.
A red weather warning for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has now expired, but amber warnings for snow remain in parts of Wales, the Midlands, Gloucestershire, and Yorkshire.
Officials in the Midlands warned of what could be the "worst snow in a decade," with up to 30cm expected in some areas, threatening roads and transport networks.
The storm has already left more than 65,000 homes in south-west England without power, while around 11,000 properties in the West Midlands and 2,600 in Wales also lost electricity. Commuters were urged to finish journeys early as roads, rail services, and airports faced disruption.
The red wind warning in Cornwall was active from 16:00 to 23:00 GMT, with the Met Office stating that "exceptionally strong winds" could damage buildings and homes. These gusts, reaching 99mph at St Mary’s Airport in the Isles of Scilly, were expected to spread to parts of Cornwall, the Channel Islands, and northern France on Thursday evening.
Authorities sent two emergency alerts to about 500,000 mobile phones in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to warn residents of the extreme weather.
Strong winds of 50 to 60mph were expected in southern England and south-west Wales, although these areas were not included in the red warning. Jersey declared a major incident and issued its own red warning as the Channel Islands faced even stronger gusts.
Snow has begun to accumulate on high ground in Wales, including Libanus at 272m above sea level. Over the next few hours, snow is expected to spread across the Midlands, Peak District, and Wales, with snowfall rates of up to 4cm per hour.
Authorities warned that this could isolate communities, block roads, and lead to power cuts.
Later into the night, snow in the Midlands may turn back to rain as conditions gradually improve. In Wales and the Peak District, snow is expected to linger, with 20–30cm in some areas.
This accumulation threatens transport links, leaving some roads impassable and delaying emergency response.
Yellow warnings remain in place across Scotland, Wales, and England for snow, ice, rain, and wind. Storm Goretti, named by French forecasters, has rapidly strengthened over the Atlantic, covering much of Northern Ireland, England, and Wales with dense cloud systems.
Meteorologists warned that the storm could undergo "explosive cyclogenesis" or a "weather bomb," when central pressure falls sharply, creating periods of extremely strong winds.
An avalanche warning is in place for Yr Wyddfa, or Snowdon, in Wales, while the West Midlands braces for potentially record snowfall. Heavy rain also raises the risk of localized flooding in parts of south-west Wales and eastern England.
Snow and rain are expected to ease by Friday morning, but lingering snow will continue to disrupt transport. Rail passengers were advised to check their services as cancellations remain likely. In Cornwall, trains were halted after 18:00 on Thursday, while some services in Devon were also suspended.
East Midlands Railway announced no operations between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield on Thursday evening and Friday, with no replacement buses.
Drivers were urged to avoid travelling as conditions could reduce visibility quickly. Gerard Cairney told the BBC he was driving carefully with his wife on the A887 toward Edinburgh when a tree fell onto his car. "It was quite unbelievable," he said, adding the tree "bounced" off the bonnet, causing only minor scratches.
Birmingham Airport suspended its runway due to heavy snow and advised passengers to check flight details. Many schools across the Midlands and Wales will remain closed under amber warnings, following early closures of almost 100 schools in Cornwall. Over 250 schools in Scotland are also set to stay shut on Friday, keeping students from returning after the festive break.
In Norfolk, 14 cliff-top homes were evacuated due to the risk of collapse during the storm, with authorities warning residents their properties may need to be demolished.
The Arctic cold spell of the past week has driven temperatures 4–10C below the January average. The UK Health Security Agency issued amber cold weather alerts for England, effective until Monday.
Cold weather payments have already been triggered for more than one million households in at least 697 postcodes across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
