A fierce winter storm named Goretti has plunged large parts of the United Kingdom into chaos, delivering what is being described as the most significant snowfall in ten years alongside destructive, near-100mph winds. Tens of thousands of people woke on Friday, January 9, 2026, to widespread power outages, severe travel disruption, and the closure of hundreds of schools.
Widespread Disruption and Record Winds
The Met Office had issued a rare red weather warning ahead of the storm's arrival, flagging "dangerous, stormy" winds with gusts of nearly 100mph. This warning remained in force until 11pm on Thursday, highlighting risks to life from flying debris, significant damage to buildings, and major disruptions to power and transport.
A new record wind speed of 99mph was recorded at St Mary’s Airport on the Isles of Scilly on Thursday, the highest ever for that location. The storm, named by French forecaster Météo-France, has been labelled a "multi-hazard event" by the Met Office, combining severe snow, wind, rain, and ice threats across the nation.
Transport Network Brought to a Standstill
The transport sector has been severely impacted. Birmingham Airport suspended all operations overnight due to heavy snow on the runway, conducting safety checks into Friday morning. Dozens of flights were also cancelled at Heathrow due to the extreme conditions.
On the railways, all train services in Cornwall were suspended from 6pm on Thursday. Key routes in Devon, including Exeter to Okehampton and Barnstaple, were also halted due to forecast high winds. National Rail warned that services across England, Wales, and Scotland could be affected throughout Friday. Operators like West Midlands Railway advised customers not to travel until at least the afternoon.
Roads were not spared either. National Highways confirmed the A30 in Cornwall was closed in both directions between Longrock and St Erth after a large number of trees fell, blocking the road entirely.
Power Cuts and School Closures
The storm's fury left a trail of electrical disruption. At 6am on Friday, the National Grid's website showed more than 43,000 properties were without power in the South West, with a further 450 addresses affected in the East Midlands. Engineers aimed to restore services in the south west by 8am.
Education was heavily disrupted. Dozens of schools across the Midlands and Wales, areas under an amber weather warning for snow, announced they would remain closed on Friday. In Scotland, where a yellow snow and ice warning was active, more than 250 schools were closed, including over 150 in Aberdeenshire alone.
Met Office Chief Forecaster Neil Armstrong stated: "Storm Goretti will be a multi-hazard event, with the most significant impacts from snow in parts of Wales and the Midlands and the very strong winds in the far South West." An amber warning for snow predicted 10 to 15cm widely, with up to 30cm on higher ground in Wales and the Peak District.
As the clean-up begins, passengers are warned that delays and disruptions are likely to linger throughout the day, with authorities urging people to continue checking for updates before travelling.
