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 predict up to 30cm of snow in Wales and the Midlands, with winds reaching 100mph in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Winds of 99mph were recorded at St Mary’s airport on the Isles of Scilly, a new record for the site. Birmingham Airport suspended runway operations on Thursday night due to heavy snow. The storm is expected to be more powerful than Storm Ciarán in 2023 and the Great Storm of 1987.
A rare red warning for dangerous winds is in place for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly until Friday morning. Emergency alerts were sent to mobile phones in these areas. The Met Office warned of damage to buildings, power lines, and coastal areas from large waves and debris.
More than 47,000 properties lost power in the south-west, with 5,000 in the West Midlands and 2,000 in Wales. National Grid advised keeping torches and charged phones ready. Rail services were cancelled in 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 the elderly and those with health conditions. The storm is set to wane by Friday, but travel disruption and power outages are expected to continue.
