The UK is facing a fourth day of severe disruption as Storm Goretti continues to batter the country with snow, ice, and powerful winds, forcing hundreds of schools to shut and causing significant travel problems.
Widespread School Closures and Severe Weather Warnings
Hundreds of schools across Aberdeenshire and the Highlands will remain closed on Friday, 9 January 2026, for a fourth consecutive day. This follows the scheduled start of term on Monday, leaving thousands of children at home. The Met Office has issued a total of 10 active weather warnings, including two amber alerts and seven yellow warnings, for snow, ice, wind, and rain.
Meteorologist Neil Armstrong has described Storm Goretti, which was named by the French weather service Meteo France, as a "multi-hazard event." A yellow warning for snow and ice covers Scotland until midday, with further accumulations of 2-5cm expected in western Scotland and the hills of northern England.
Danger to Life and Transport Chaos
The storm's impact is intensifying, with an amber wind warning predicting gusts of 80 to 90mph set to hit exposed coastal areas of Cornwall from 8pm on Thursday. The Met Office has warned that large waves and flying debris could pose a "danger to life." Simultaneously, an amber snow warning threatens to dump up to 30cm of snow in parts of Wales and the Peak District.
Travel networks have been crippled all week. Numerous flights have been cancelled, and rail services are severely affected. Network Rail has urged passengers to check for updates before travelling on Thursday night and Friday morning, with some lines in Wales and northwest England closing as a precaution. National Highways has issued an amber snow warning for the West and East Midlands, warning of "particularly difficult driving conditions" around Birmingham, Leicester, and Nottingham until 9am Friday.
Health Alerts and Community Response
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended an amber cold health alert for England until Sunday. Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events at UKHSA, urged the public to check on vulnerable neighbours, warning that the freezing temperatures increase risks of heart attacks, strokes, and chest infections, especially for the over-65s.
In Scotland, where Aberdeenshire Council declared a major incident earlier this week, authorities fear rural communities could be cut off. Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance stated that difficult conditions are expected to persist, while First Minister John Swinney praised the "truly exceptional" efforts of farmers and volunteers in the community response.
With the storm continuing to cause major disruption, authorities are advising the public to exercise extreme caution, avoid unnecessary travel, and stay updated on the latest warnings from the Met Office and local councils.
