Storm Goretti has brought what the Met Office describes as the 'worst snowfall in a decade', leaving thousands without power and causing widespread travel disruption. Birmingham Airport suspended operations overnight due to heavy snowfall on the runway, stranding around 1,000 passengers. The runway reopened on a reduced basis on Friday morning, but delays are expected to persist.
More than 43,000 properties in the South West were without power as of 6am on Friday, according to National Grid. Cornwall Council leader Leigh Frost said the storm had caused 'major disruption across parts of Cornwall, particularly to roads, coastal areas and local infrastructure'. All trains in Cornwall were suspended, and residents were advised to work from home.
At Heathrow Airport, at least 69 flights were cancelled on Friday, mostly short-haul services by British Airways, affecting more than 9,000 passengers. East Midlands Airport reopened its runway after an overnight closure, but warned of lingering delays. Rail services across England, Wales and Scotland may be affected until the end of Friday, National Rail said.
The Met Office issued a rare red weather warning for 'dangerous, stormy' winds with gusts of nearly 100mph in the hardest hit areas. Chief forecaster Steve Willington said more snow is possible on Sunday, with a yellow warning for snow and ice in force for much of Scotland. The storm, named by French weather service Meteo France, has been described as a 'multi-hazard event', with up to 30cm of snow possible in parts of the UK.
In other incidents, several shipping containers fell from two vessels off the Isle of Wight overnight, and the roof of the main grandstand at Cornish Pirates rugby club in Penzance was damaged by strong winds. Dozens of schools across the Midlands and Wales were closed on Friday, and more than 250 schools remained shut in Scotland.
