The Met Office has issued red and amber weather warnings across the UK as Storm Goretti, the first named storm of 2026, intensifies into a 'weather bomb'. Forecasters warn of up to 30cm of snow in Wales and the Midlands, with winds reaching 100mph (160km/h) in exposed coastal areas of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Winds of 99mph were recorded at St Mary's Airport on the Isles of Scilly, setting a new site record. The storm, described as a 'multi-hazard event', is expected to be more powerful than Storm Ciarán in 2023 and the Great Storm of 1987. Birmingham Airport suspended runway operations on Thursday evening due to heavy snow.
A rare red warning for 'dangerous, stormy' winds is in place for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly from Thursday evening. An emergency alert was sent to mobile phones in the Isles of Scilly at 3pm and in Cornwall at 5pm. The Met Office warned of potential damage to buildings, power lines, and coastal areas from large waves and debris.
More than 47,000 properties were without power in the south-west by 9pm, with 5,000 in the West Midlands and 2,000 in Wales. National Grid advised residents to keep torches and charged phones ready. Rail services were cancelled across Wales, Cornwall, and north-west England, while Eurostar routes from London faced delays and cancellations.
The amber snow warning covers areas from Sheffield to Leicester, the West Midlands, and most of Wales, effective from 8pm Thursday to 9am Friday. Yellow warnings for wind, snow, and rain are in place across much of England and Wales. The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber cold weather health alerts until 11 January, warning of potential increased deaths, particularly among the elderly and vulnerable.
