The UK is braced for further wintry chaos as fresh snow and ice warnings have been issued nationwide with the arrival of Storm Goretti. The first named storm of 2026 is set to bring treacherous conditions, prompting the Met Office to urge commuters to prepare for significant travel delays and disruption.
Widespread Weather Warnings in Force
A yellow weather warning for ice covering almost all of England and Wales remained active until 10am on Wednesday 7th January 2026. Meanwhile, northern Scotland is under a yellow warning for snow and ice all day Wednesday, extending until midnight on Thursday. Forecasters predict an additional 5-10cm of snow in parts of northern Scotland.
Temperatures are expected to plummet, with rural areas of Scotland potentially seeing lows of minus 6°C. A separate ice warning for Northern Ireland was in place until 11am on Wednesday.
Travel Chaos and School Closures
The severe weather has already caused major upheaval. Hundreds of schools across the UK were shut on Tuesday, with many in northern Scotland, Shetland, Orkney, and Aberdeenshire remaining closed. While some schools in the Highlands aimed to reopen on Wednesday, further snow was forecast.
The situation in Aberdeenshire was deemed so severe that the council declared a "major incident" to coordinate emergency responses. Police Scotland warned the impact of the heavy snow is likely to be felt for several days in the north and north-east.
Travel networks are under severe strain. Eurostar has warned of "severe delays" and last-minute cancellations. Domestically, Network Rail Scotland deployed snow ploughs to clear drifts up to 1.2 metres deep on tracks near Dingwall.
International Fallout and Expert Advice
The disruption extends beyond the UK. Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, a key hub, is experiencing major chaos, with 45% of flights cancelled on Tuesday. KLM warned that supplies of de-icing fluid are running low across Europe, exacerbating delays. This has grounded thousands of UK passengers.
With the cold snap forecast to last into the weekend, experts are advising the public on how to stay warm efficiently. Heating specialists caution that cranking up the thermostat will not warm a home faster in freezing weather, urging people to avoid wasting money.
Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern described the conditions as "extraordinary for modern standards," noting that the snow depths and sub-zero temperatures recorded, including in southern England, would have been noteworthy in the modern climate.
A new yellow warning for snow has been issued for much of the UK from Thursday evening until Friday midday, indicating that the challenging conditions are far from over.
