The UK is bracing for further disruption as Storm Goretti is forecast to bring heavy snow and strong winds to parts of England and Wales on Thursday. This follows days of travel chaos and school closures, with more than 1,000 schools closed on Tuesday from Oxfordshire to Orkney. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for snow and ice across large areas, with up to 20cm of fresh snow expected in northern Scotland.
Storm Goretti, named by French forecaster Météo France, will bring severe wintry weather as a deep area of low pressure moves across the south of the UK. A yellow warning for strong winds is in place for Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly from 3pm on Thursday until just before midnight. Snow warnings for much of England and Wales run from 6pm Thursday to midday Friday.
In Scotland, Aberdeen City Council has closed all schools for Wednesday, while Aberdeenshire has declared a major incident due to heavy snowfall. The council warned of a “good chance” some rural communities will be cut off, with power cuts possible. Police Scotland urged people to follow travel advice as the impact is likely to be felt over the next few days in the north and north-east.
The UK Health Security Agency has extended an amber cold health alert for all regions of England until Sunday. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of households are receiving £25 cold weather payments, with those in Cumbria and Northumberland eligible for £50. The payments are triggered when temperatures drop below freezing.
Conservative MP Harriet Cross praised over 100 farmers and contractors in Aberdeenshire for rescuing drivers and clearing roads. She described them as “heroic,” adding they have worked round the clock caring for livestock amid some of the worst snowfall in recent memory.
