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 delays and school closures across the country, from Oxfordshire to Orkney.
Many areas are still recovering from Monday night, which saw temperatures drop to -12.5C in Norfolk, the coldest night of the winter so far. Over 1,000 schools were closed on Tuesday, and some in northern Scotland may remain shut on Wednesday, with Aberdeen city council and Aberdeenshire council announcing closures. Aberdeenshire has declared a major incident due to heavy snowfall, warning that some rural communities could be cut off and power cuts are possible.
The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for ice across most of England, Wales, and southern Scotland until Wednesday morning, and for snow and ice in northern Scotland until midnight Wednesday, where up to 20cm of fresh snow is expected. Storm Goretti, named by Météo France, will bring strong winds to south-west England from Thursday afternoon, with a yellow wind warning for Cornwall, Devon, and the Isles of Scilly. Snow warnings are also in place for large parts of England and Wales from Thursday evening until Friday midday.
Police Scotland urged people to follow travel advice, as the impact of snow is expected to continue in the north and north-east. Aberdeenshire council anticipates a prolonged period of significant impacts, with additional equipment and 4,000 tonnes of salt being brought in. Seven midweek football matches in Scotland were cancelled on Tuesday due to freezing conditions.
Hundreds of thousands of households are receiving £25 cold weather payments, with those in Cumbria and Northumberland eligible for £50. The UK Health Security Agency has extended an amber cold health alert for all regions of England until Sunday. Conservative MP Harriet Cross praised over 100 farmers and contractors in her Gordon and Buchan constituency for rescuing drivers and clearing roads in blizzard conditions.
