Why is it called Storm Goretti?

Heavy snow, ice and showers will continue across the UK for the rest of the week as an Arctic mass called Storm Goretti causes temperatures to drop below zero in parts of the UK.

The Met Office issued a yellow ice warning for much of the UK, including Northern Ireland, on Wednesday morning, while northern Scotland has a yellow warning for snow and ice in place all day on Wednesday and residents have been told to expect another 5 to 10cm of snow.

Chris Bulmer, deputy head of forecasting at the Met Office, said: “A deepening area of ​​low pressure, dubbed Storm Goretti by Meteo France, will move across the south of the UK between Thursday and Friday.

“It’s going to collide with the very cold air here, which means Thursday night could be what we call a ‘multi-hazard’ event, with snow on the northern flank of the low and wind and rain on the southern flank.”

The first storm of the year was named by the French forecaster as severe winter weather caused strong winds across the Channel. Heavy snowfall in Paris led the country’s civil aviation authority to cancel 15 percent of flights at the city’s Orly and Charles de Gaulle airports on Monday.

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How are storms named?

Each year’s storms are named as part of a joint effort between the Met Office and its partners in Ireland and the Netherlands. More than 50,000 suggestions have been submitted for this storm season, including public input submitted to Met Éireann and KNMI.

However, since the effects of the bad weather were expected to be felt in France, Storm Goretti was chosen by Meteo France. Although the word has no particular significance in the French language, it has its origins in an Italian virgin saint of particular importance to the Catholic church.

This can happen regularly when severe bad weather develops abroad before arriving in the UK – Storm Benjamin, which hit in October, was named by Meteo France, while November’s Storm Claudia was named by Spain’s forecaster AEMET.

What are the names of this year’s storms?

Naming storms is a technique used around the world in the hope that it will help the public, business, and local institutions be aware of impending risks and adequately prepare for severe weather.

This system, in place since 2015, sees storm names sorted alphabetically from the beginning of September through the following August, and sorted by the beginning of autumn, when low-pressure systems and the potential for severe storms increase. Last year, six storms that reached ‘Floris’ were named by August 1. The naming convention for North Atlantic storms excludes Q, U, X, Y and Z to ensure consistency with the US.

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Here are the storm names selected for the 2025-2026 season:

Rebekah Hicks, the Met Office’s chief meteorologist, said: “Naming storms isn’t just about giving them a label, it’s about getting people to notice it.

“When the storm has a name, it becomes easier for the media and the public to talk about it, share information and prepare.

“It’s a simple step that can make a big difference in helping communities stay safe, protect their homes and make informed decisions ahead of severe weather.”

What can we expect from Storm Goretti?

The Met Office said snow was likely to form on higher ground in south Wales late on Thursday before rain in England and Wales turns to snow more widely overnight.

While 5 to 10 cm of snowfall was seen in some regions, up to 20 cm of snowfall was seen in some regions.

Storm Goretti is also expected to cause disruption in south-west England; A yellow warning for strong winds will be issued for Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly from 3pm until just before midnight on Thursday.

The government said the latest drop in temperatures had triggered cold weather payments for hundreds of thousands of households to help elderly and vulnerable people with heating costs.