What is a ‘weather bomb’? Storm Goretti set to unload heavy snow, ice and winds on UK
Storm Goretti will bring a “weather bomb” to the UK and cause disruption across large parts of the country, meteorologists warn.
The Met Office issued two yellow and seven amber weather warnings across England on Thursday; chief forecaster Neil Armstrong described it as a “multi-hazard event” with heavy rain, high winds and snow.
Both BBC Weather and the Met Office have dubbed Storm Goretti, as the French weather service named it, a “weather bomb” as it develops rapidly in the Atlantic and is poised to target Britain and France.
Yellow weather warnings for wind and snow could bring 80 to 90 mph winds to Cornwall; Large waves and debris pose a risk of “endangering life” from 8pm on Thursday, while Wales and the Peak District could see up to 30cm of snow overnight.
What is an aerial bomb?
“Weather bomb” is an informal term for explosive cyclogenesis in which the central pressure of a storm drops by more than 24 millibars in 24 hours.
BBC Weather meteorologist Simon King said: “For Goretti we will see a pressure drop of 36 millibars in the 24 hours from 6pm on Wednesday to 6pm on Thursday. So we meet the definition of ‘air bomb’.”
An aerial bomb can bring winds strong enough to topple trees and cause structural damage that peaks over a period of several hours.
According to the Met Office, this is due to rapid acceleration of air caused by the jet stream above the atmosphere; this can remove air from the column and cause the pressure to drop at sea level. This absorbs air from surrounding areas, causing the circulation to rotate faster and causing strong winds.
What to expect from Storm Goretti?
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said the storm would bring “wet, windy and wintry weather” to parts of the UK.
He explained that the storm will bring “some strong winds and a significant amount of snow to the central and perhaps southern parts.” “As the rain continues its path and hits the cold air that we’re facing right now… and in the northern end, we’re likely to see some pretty significant snow later tomorrow and into Friday.”
Yellow warnings indicate “increased likelihood of being affected by severe weather” compared to yellow warnings; This means there is the possibility of travel delays, road and rail closures, power outages and potential risks to life and property.
The National Highways has issued its own amber warning for snowfall in the West and East Midlands, which will last from 6pm on Thursday until 9am on Friday.
In a statement, the agency said: “Routes from around Birmingham to Leicester and Nottingham will see particularly difficult driving conditions and weather forecasts should be taken into account before commencing journeys as significant delays are possible.”
Motorists are also warned that the A628 Woodhead Pass between the A616 at Flouch and the A57 at Hollingworth will be closed in both directions from 8pm on Thursday due to severe weather conditions.
Network Rail urged passengers across Britain to check for updates before traveling on Thursday night and Friday morning.
Some rail lines will be closed in Wales on Thursday afternoon, and some routes in north-west England may also be closed as a precaution.
Network Rail regional manager Jake Kelly said thousands of staff would “do everything they can to keep the railway running” but “we are concerned that the size of the storm means there may still be some disruption”.
