Red and amber weather warnings have been issued across the UK as Storm Goretti, the first named storm of 2026, evolves into a 'weather bomb'. The Met Office warns of up to 30cm of snow in Wales and the Midlands, with winds reaching 100mph in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
A rare red warning for 'dangerous, stormy' winds has been issued for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, where a new wind speed record of 99mph was recorded at St Mary's airport. Emergency alerts were sent to mobile phones in these areas. The Met Office described the storm as a 'multi-hazard event', potentially more powerful than Storm Ciarán in 2023 and the Great Storm of 1987.
Birmingham Airport suspended runway operations due to heavy snow. Over 47,000 properties lost power in the south-west, with thousands more affected in the West Midlands and Wales. National Grid advised residents to keep torches and charged phones ready. Rail services were cancelled across Wales, Cornwall, and north-west England, while Jersey and Guernsey airports closed at 6pm.
Amber cold weather health alerts are in place until 11 January, with officials expecting a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over. The storm is expected to wane by Friday, but travel disruption and power cuts are likely to persist.
