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 described it as a 'multi-hazard event', expected to bring up to 30cm of snow in Wales and the Midlands and winds of up to 100mph (160km/h) 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 for Thursday evening, where winds of 99mph were recorded at St Mary's airport — a new record for the site. The amber snow warning covers much of Wales and the Midlands, with up to 30cm of snow expected. Birmingham Airport suspended the use of its runway due to heavy snow.
The storm intensified rapidly, with its central pressure dropping by 36 millibars in 24 hours, exceeding the threshold of 24 millibars for a 'weather bomb'. Emergency alerts were sent to mobile phones in the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall. More than 47,000 properties lost power in the south-west, with thousands more affected in the West Midlands and Wales.
Transport has been severely disrupted, with all train services cancelled in parts of south-west England, and delays expected on Eurostar routes. Jersey and Guernsey airports will close at 6pm. Major airports elsewhere plan to operate normally. Amber cold weather health alerts are in place until 11 January, with officials warning of a rise in deaths, particularly among the elderly and those with health conditions.
The Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: 'As that rain pushes its way and it hits against that cold air ... we are likely to see some fairly significant snow.' The worst weather is expected overnight before the storm wanes on Friday.
