Storm Goretti has left thousands of homes without electricity and forced multiple transport networks to suspend services. Weather warnings have been issued across parts of England, Wales, and beyond. Although the red wind warning issued by the Met Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has ended, multiple yellow and amber warnings still persist. With snowfall of up to 30 cm expected in some areas, officials claim that this could be the worst snowfall in a decade.
Conditions were at their worst on Thursday, with wind speeds of 99 mph recorded at St Mary’s Airport in the Isles of Scilly. Five hundred thousand people in Cornwall received two emergency alerts, with Jersey witnessing a major incident declaration due to the wind speeds. Guernsey saw multiple evacuations and widespread debris. Images surfaced on the internet from both regions where trees and rooftops lay on the roads. Multiple roads were blocked, causing traffic congestion.
Severe snowfall resulted in snow depths ranging from 7 cm in Nottingham to 20–30 cm in Wales and the Peak District, limiting the function of roads in these areas. Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), the highest mountain in Wales and England, received an avalanche warning. The UK recorded its coldest night earlier this week, with a freezing -12.5°C in Norfolk.
Multiple homes lost power across England and Wales. The National Grid warned that even resilient networks are prone to impact from extreme weather, while they are actively working on restoring power and supplies. Roads and rail networks are also affected, with train services suspended and “do not travel” advisories being issued. Two important airports, Birmingham and East Midlands, have suspended runway operations due to heavy snow.
Residents of clifftop homes in Norfolk were ordered to evacuate due to a collapse risk. Over 1,000 schools across the UK have closed, including all schools in Aberdeen. Amber cold health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency until Monday, with cold weather payments being triggered at nearly 697 postcodes, benefiting more than one million households.
People are urged not to travel where possible, citing the risk of low visibility. Authorities still advise caution despite recovery efforts following Storm Goretti.