‘Worst snow for a decade’ hits central Britain with flights grounded, roads blocked and rail lines closed as 100mph Storm Goretti leaves trail of devastation across UK and thousands without power
Storm Goretti brought Britain its worst snowfall in a decade, with flights grounded at major airports, roads closed and railway lines closed.
Birmingham Airport was forced to suspend runway operations on Thursday night after ‘heavy snowfall’ made flights unsafe, while Heathrow also canceled dozens of flights due to severe weather conditions.
Passengers were asked to contact their airline regarding the status of their flights; In the photographs, it was seen that the planes were covered with a thick layer of snow and ice.
Cornwall was under a strict red alert until 11pm on Thursday; Residents were urged to stay indoors as 99mph winds rocked St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly.
Meanwhile, much of the rest of Britain, including the Home Counties, is on alert due to heavy snowfall.
National Grid said more than 65,000 properties were left without power in the dark on Thursday evening, mostly in south-west England. Up to 11,000 properties were affected in the West Midlands and several thousand in Wales.
Images published on social media showed drivers trying to navigate river-like village roads in Cornwall, journalists trying to stand while reporting on the storm, and people pushing a vehicle stuck in the snow up a hill in Buxton, Derbyshire.
The red weather warning, which covers Cornwall and lasts until 11pm, told people they should expect damage to buildings and homes, very large waves, life-threatening flying debris, power cuts and the cancellation of public transport.
Services on affected transport routes are expected to be disrupted on Friday morning, while schools across the country have announced they will be closed.
People try to push a car stuck in the snow in Buxton, Peak District, Derbyshire, on Thursday night
Weather warnings are in place across the UK on Friday as Storm Goretti continues to cause chaos
A fallen tree blocks a road after Storm Goretti hit Falmouth, Cornwall
There was serious disruption near Dowlais in Wales in the evening, causing chaos for motorists.
Birmingham Airport confirmed on Thursday night it has suspended the use of runway operations due to ‘heavy snow’
Damage to cars near Falmouth Docks, Cornwall, caused by Storm Goretti on Thursday
A man’s umbrella was turned upside down by the wind in Walsall on Thursday night
A bicycle was abandoned in the snow in Ruthin, Wales, on Thursday night
Vehicles struggle at a road junction in the town of Mossley, in Manchester’s Tameside district
The forecaster stated on its website: ‘Risk to life is very likely, with significant disruption to travel, energy supplies and possibly widespread damage to property and infrastructure.
‘You should avoid travel where possible and follow the advice of emergency services and local authorities.’
Dozens of schools in Cornwall closed early Thursday afternoon as the storm approached. Network Rail said all trains in Cornwall will be suspended from 6pm on Thursday.
In Devon, trains on the Exeter-Okehampton and Exeter-Barnstaple routes were to be suspended simultaneously due to high wind speeds predicted.
Travelers were advised to travel earlier and avoid traveling late in the afternoon. Services on the affected routes are expected to be disrupted on Friday morning.
Since road conditions are also expected to be affected by weather conditions, backup road transport will not be available.
The storm, named by French weather forecaster Meteo France, has been described as a ‘multi-hazard event’ by the Met Office, with up to 30cm of snow possible in parts of the UK.
Weather warnings for snow, wind, rain and ice have been issued across the country ahead of possible ‘disruption and dangerous travel conditions’.
Drivers drive on a snow-covered road in Ruthin, Wales, on Thursday night
Map of Storm Goretti to hit South West England with ‘extraordinarily strong’ winds
Huge waves as Storm Goretti hits Plymouth, Devon on Thursday evening
Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said: ‘Storm Goretti will be a multi-hazard event, with major impacts from snow across parts of Wales and the Midlands and very strong winds in the far South West, although heavy rain in parts of Wales and East Anglia also has the potential to disturb many people.’
It was reported that the storm would bring a ‘weather bomb’ to England. Weather bombing, also known as explosive cyclogenesis, occurs when the central pressure in a low-pressure area drops rapidly. To qualify, the pressure must drop 24 millibars in 24 hours.
The Met Office said winds during the weather bomb could be ‘strong enough to topple trees and cause structural damage’.
A yellow wind warning has also been issued for the south coast and the rest of Wales, where winds of up to 70 miles per hour are forecast.
The weather service said ‘exceptional’ wind speeds could be stronger than recent storms such as Ciaran in 2023 and Eunice in 2022.
Few passengers in London’s Paddington this afternoon as Storm Goretti approaches
Meanwhile, a yellow snow warning covering parts of Wales, the Midlands and Yorkshire remains in effect from 8pm to 9am on Friday.
Around 10 to 15cm of snow is expected to fall across the warning area, with up to 30cm at higher elevations in Wales and the Peak District.
Dozens of schools in the Midlands and Wales announced they would close on Friday, when the yellow weather warning was issued.
The Met Office has issued a yellow snow and ice warning covering most of Scotland from 8pm on Thursday and will continue until midday on Friday.
‘Heavy’ snowfall, icing and sub-zero temperatures for several days have led to the closure of schools and disruption of travel, especially in the north of the country.
