Storm Goretti, the first named storm of 2026, has intensified into a ‘weather bomb’, prompting rare red and amber weather warnings across the UK. The Met Office has described it as a ‘multi-hazard event’, potentially more powerful than Storm Ciarán in 2023 and the Great Storm of 1987.
Up to 30cm of snow is expected in Wales and the Midlands, with winds of up to 100mph recorded in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. A new wind record of 99mph was set at St Mary’s airport on the Isles of Scilly. The storm’s central pressure is forecast to drop by 36 millibars in 24 hours, far exceeding the 24-millibar threshold for a weather bomb.
An emergency alert was issued to mobile phones in the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall. More than 47,000 properties in the south-west, 5,000 in the West Midlands, and 2,000 in Wales were without power by Thursday evening. Birmingham Airport suspended runway operations due to heavy snow.
Travel disruption is widespread, with rail services cancelled across Wales, Cornwall, and north-west England. National Rail warned of delays and cancellations on Eurostar routes. Major airports remain open except Jersey and Guernsey, which will close at 6pm. Amber cold weather health alerts are in place until 11 January, with officials expecting a rise in deaths, particularly among the elderly.
The worst conditions are expected overnight, with the storm waning on Friday. The Met Office advises checking travel updates and preparing for power cuts, including keeping torches and fully charged phones ready.
