The United Kingdom is bracing for another weekend of severe wintry conditions, with further snow, ice and heavy rain forecast following the chaos unleashed by Storm Goretti. The storm's hurricane-force winds caused widespread disruption on Friday, leading to school closures, transport cancellations and power cuts for thousands.
Widespread Weather Warnings and Disruption
After a day of severe conditions, the Met Office has extended a series of yellow weather warnings across the nation. A yellow warning for snow and ice will be in force for much of Scotland from 2am until 3pm on Sunday, with 2-5cm possible at low levels and 10-20cm over higher ground. Separate warnings for snow and ice cover large parts of England and Northern Ireland until Saturday afternoon, with a risk of ice across England and Wales until midday on Saturday as thawed snow refreezes.
The Environment Agency had issued 107 flood alerts and 14 more serious warnings for England by Friday, with forecasters warning that a combination of melting snow and rain could bring flooding in the coming days. Rail services across England, Wales and Scotland face continued disruption until Sunday, according to National Rail.
Storm Goretti's Trail of Destruction
The storm, named by French forecaster Meteo France, brought winds of almost 100mph, with a peak gust of 99mph recorded at St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly – the highest there since 1991. The wild weather caused significant damage, particularly in the South West.
On the tidal island of St Michael's Mount off Cornwall, head gardener Darren Little reported heartbreak as more than 80 trees were blown down, describing damage ten times worse than any storm in decades. The island's weather station recorded winds of 111mph before a power cut took hold.
Elsewhere, two large trees fell on a house in Truro, breaking through the roof and crushing three cars, while the roof of the Cornish Pirates rugby club stadium in Penzance was damaged. About 37,000 properties in the South West remained without power on Friday evening, with thousands more affected in the Midlands and Wales.
Travel Chaos and Emergency Response
The transport network was severely impacted. Birmingham and East Midlands airports both suspended operations due to heavy snow, with Birmingham's runway later reopening on a reduced basis. At Heathrow, at least 69 flights were cancelled, disrupting over 9,000 passengers.
Dozens of schools across the Midlands, Wales and Scotland were closed, with more than 250 expected to remain shut in Scotland alone. The disruption even extended to the justice system, with no remand prisoners transported to Birmingham Crown Court due to road conditions.
In response to the crisis, Liberal Democrat MP Gideon Amos called for the Government's Cobra emergency committee to be convened, stating the South West must not be overlooked. The UK Health Security Agency has extended its amber cold weather health alert for all of England until Monday, warning of a potential 'rise in deaths'.
Record Low Temperatures and Snowfall
The UK experienced bitterly cold temperatures, with the lowest recorded overnight being -13.3C (8.1F) at Braemar in Aberdeenshire. Significant snow accumulations were reported across the country: 27cm (11in) fell at Altnaharra in Sutherland, Scotland, while Wales saw 15cm (6in) at Lake Vyrnwy and England 7cm (3in) in Nottingham and Shropshire.
Met Office chief forecaster Steve Willington warned that after a 'largely dry' Saturday for many, Sunday would bring further snow to the north and rain to central and southern regions, likely causing ongoing disruption. With icy conditions persisting and flood risks rising, the UK's battle with Storm Goretti's aftermath is set to continue throughout the weekend.
