A powerful winter storm named Storm Goretti has swept across the United Kingdom, unleashing destructive winds, heavy snowfall, and causing severe disruption to travel, power supplies, and education.
Rare Red Warning and Widespread Power Outages
The Met Office took the exceptional step of issuing a rare red weather warning for "dangerous, stormy" winds in the south-west, where gusts were recorded at speeds of up to 99mph. The storm's ferocity led to extensive power failures, with tens of thousands of properties left in the dark. Early on Friday morning, the National Grid reported over 43,000 homes without power in the south-west, approximately 14,000 in the West Midlands, and a further 530 in Wales.
In the East Midlands, more than 450 addresses were also affected. National Grid teams worked to restore services, aiming to have power back for south-west England customers by 8am on Friday. A complex web of further weather warnings remained active, including an amber alert for snow across Wales and the Midlands, and multiple yellow warnings for snow, rain, wind, and ice nationwide.
Travel Chaos and "Worst Snowfall in a Decade"
The storm caused major transport upheaval. Birmingham Airport kept its runway closed into Friday morning, though it continued to process passengers through security. East Midlands Airport reopened its runway shortly after 6am, following an overnight closure due to heavy snow. Ferry operator DFDS confirmed all its sailings between Dover and France were disrupted.
Officials warned of significant snowfall, with Stoke-on-Trent City Council stating the area was facing its worst snowfall in 10 years, with predictions of up to 3.5 inches (9cm) of snow and temperatures plunging to -4°C. The West Midlands anticipated 5-10cm of snow widely, and up to 15-25cm in some spots. Dozens of schools across the Midlands and Wales announced they would remain closed on Friday due to the hazardous conditions.
Ongoing Wintry Grip in Scotland
Meanwhile, Scotland continued to grapple with a prolonged period of severe winter weather. For a fifth consecutive day, many schools remained shut on Friday, with over 250 closures confirmed. This included more than 150 in Aberdeenshire, dozens in the Highlands and Aberdeen, and several in Moray, leaving many pupils with a full week off at the start of the new term, despite remote learning efforts.
The Met Office issued a further yellow warning for snow and ice covering much of Scotland, active from 8pm Thursday until midday on Friday. This followed several days of "intense" snowfall, ice, and sub-zero temperatures that have caused persistent travel and education disruption, particularly in the north of the country.
The stormy conditions brought by Storm Goretti are forecast to gradually ease throughout Friday as the intense weather system moves eastward away from the UK.
