Full list of UK schools closed today as Storm Goretti continues to cause disruption
Hundreds of schools will remain closed as the snow and ice brought by Storm Goretti continue to cause disruptions across the country.
Chief forecaster Neil Armstrong warned that Storm Goretti would be a “multi-hazard event”, while the Met Office issued 10 weather warnings across the country – two amber and seven yellow – for snow, ice, wind and rain.
Hundreds of schools in Aberdeenshire and the Highlands will remain closed for a fourth day and thousands of children will either stay at home or play in the snow after the term is scheduled to start on Monday. A yellow snow and ice warning continues throughout Scotland until noon. Freezing conditions have caused icing and around 2 to 5cm of fresh snow is expected to accumulate on hills in western Scotland and northern England.
An amber wind warning of 80 to 90mph winds could hit more open areas in Cornwall and will come into force from 8pm on Thursday night, creating a potential “danger to life” with large waves and debris, as Storm Goretti, named by the French weather service, affects weather in the UK. A light yellow snow warning on Thursday night and into Friday morning could see up to 30cm of snow fall across Wales and the Peak District.
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Travel has been affected all week, with some flights canceled and some train lines also affected. However, as large parts of the country were affected by ice, authorities asked pedestrians and drivers to be careful of slippery surfaces.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said the storm would bring “wet, windy and wintry weather” to parts of the UK.
Storm Goretti, as named by Meteo France, will bring “some strong winds and a significant amount of snow to central and perhaps southern parts,” he said.
The meteorologist added: “Once the rain pushes its way through and hits the cold air that we have right now… and so in the northern end, we’re likely to see some pretty significant snow later tomorrow and into Friday.”
Aberdeenshire Council declared a major incident earlier this week due to ongoing heavy snowfall in the area. The local authority says some rural communities are likely to experience power outages and power outages may occur.
Separate yellow warnings for snow, ice, wind and rain cover large parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland, Wales, south-west England, north-west England, the Midlands, eastern England and the north-east of England.
The UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) has extended its yellow cold health warnings for England, which will continue until Sunday, as an early warning that adverse temperatures could affect health and wellbeing.
UKHSA’s head of extreme events and health protection, Dr. Agostinho Sousa urged people earlier this week to check on vulnerable friends, family and neighbors. He warned: “Predicted temperatures could have a serious impact on some people’s health, leading to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and chest infections, particularly for those over 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions.”
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”.
Scottish ministers met with police, local authorities, utility companies and other agencies on Tuesday to discuss the response to severe weather.
Scottish justice secretary Angela Constance, who chaired the meeting, said “difficult conditions” were expected to continue this week and ministers would “continue to monitor the situation closely and engage with local partners in severely affected areas”.
John Swinney said on social media: “Please be aware of the yellow snow warning affecting much of the north of Scotland today and the yellow snow and ice warning across much of Scotland.
“I am very grateful to all public agencies and volunteers for the support. Please stay safe.”
The first minister has previously hailed the “truly extraordinary” efforts of farmers, volunteers and members of the public to help clear roads, dig up vehicles and keep people safe, saying it showed a “heartening” community spirit.
