Storm Goretti, the first named storm of 2026, has intensified into a 'weather bomb', prompting rare red and amber weather warnings across the UK. The Met Office has warned of up to 30cm of snow in Wales and the Midlands, with winds reaching 100mph in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The storm, named by Météo France, is expected to be more powerful than Storm Ciarán in 2023 and the Great Storm of 1987. A red warning for 'dangerous, stormy' winds has been issued for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, where a record wind speed of 99mph was recorded at St Mary's Airport. An emergency alert was sent to mobile phones in these areas.
Birmingham Airport suspended runway operations due to heavy snow, and over 47,000 properties in the south-west lost power, according to National Grid. Travel disruption is widespread, with train services cancelled in Wales, Cornwall, and north-west England, and Eurostar services facing delays. Jersey and Guernsey airports will close at 6pm.
The Met Office's Alex Burkill described the storm as a 'multi-hazard event', with heavy snow expected from Thursday evening into Friday. Amber cold weather health alerts are in place until 11 January, with officials warning of a potential rise in deaths, particularly among the elderly and those with health conditions.
