Potential “risk to life” warnings have been issued for large parts of the UK as Storm Goretti sweeps in tonight.
Amber weather warnings are in place for much of Wales, the Midlands and South Yorkshire with heavy snowfall and rain expected.
The Met Office says the severe weather means there could be “travel delays, road and rail closures, power cuts and the potential risk to life and property”.
The advisory begins at 8pm on Thursday and ends at 9am on Friday.
As much as 30cm of snow could fall in the Midlands while gusts of up to 90mph could batter more exposed areas.
The Peak District is also expected to hit hard and travellers have been warned that the Hope Valley train line between Manchester and Sheffield will be closed from 6pm on Thursday.
An amber weather warning for snow and rain is in place due to Storm Goretti (Image: Met Office)East Midlands Railway said it does not expect to resume its normal services until Saturday.
Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney airports will be temporarily closed at 6pm as the islands brace for Storm Goretti.
People on the Channel Islands have also been urged to stay indoors this evening.
Schools in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and North Yorkshire have also been closed with some children yet to return after the festive break.
Storm Goretti a ‘multi-hazard event’
Thursday will see a cloudy and cold start to the day with wintry weather as Storm Goretti comes in from the south-west.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said the storm will bring “wet, windy and wintry weather” to parts of the UK.
He said Storm Goretti, named by Meteo France, would bring “some strong winds and some significant snow to central and perhaps southern parts”.
Snow in Whitby – many parts of the country have been hit by wintry weather at the start of 2026 (Photo: Ian Forsyth/Getty)The meteorologist added: “As that rain pushes its way and it hits against that cold air that we currently have across us… and so on the northern edge, we are likely to see some fairly significant snow as we go through later tomorrow and into Friday.”
Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong described Storm Goretti as a “multi-hazard event” with heavy rain, strong winds and snow.
He said 5-10cm of snow is probable widely in Wales and the Midlands, with 15-25cm and a potential for up to 30cm in some areas.
Strong winds with gusts of 50-60mph will likely affect south-western areas on Thursday afternoon and evening, with gusts of 60-70mph along exposed hills and coasts, the Met Office said.
The forecaster has issued an amber warning for heavy snow from Thursday evening into Friday, covering parts of Wales, the Midlands and South Yorkshire.
The snowfall will mean trains and planes could be delayed or cancelled, rural communities may be cut off, and power cuts and disruption to mobile signal are probable.
The warning stretches from Sheffield in the north, down to Leicester, across much of the West Midlands and into Wales.
Difficult driving conditions expected
National Highways issued its own amber warning for snow in the West and East Midlands, which lasts from 6pm on Thursday until 9am on Friday.
The agency said in a statement: “Routes particularly around Birmingham across to Leicester and Nottingham will see particularly difficult driving conditions and consideration of the weather forecast should be taken before commencing journeys, with considerable delays possible.”
Drivers were also warned that the A628 Woodhead Pass would be closed both ways between the A616 at Flouch and the A57 at Hollingworth from 8pm on Thursday due to the severe weather.
Network Rail urged passengers across Britain to check for updates before they travel on Thursday night and Friday morning.
Some railway lines will be closed in Wales from Thursday afternoon, and some routes in north-west England may also be shut as a precaution.
Network Rail regional director Jake Kelly said thousands of members of staff will do “everything they can to keep the railway running” but “we are concerned that the scale of the storm means there may still be some disruption”.
An amber wind warning from 5pm to 11pm on Thursday has been issued across parts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, as forecasters warn of 80-90mph gusts in “exposed places”.
There is a further yellow warning for wind for much of south-west England from 3pm on Thursday to 6am on Friday.
There is also a yellow warning for snow and ice in Scotland from 10pm on Wednesday until midday on Thursday and a yellow warning for ice in Northern Ireland from midnight until 10am on Thursday.
Storm Goretti moves into the UK from France (Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty)A yellow snow warning has been issued for a large part of England and much of Wales, and will be in place from 5pm on Thursday until midday on Friday.
The Met Office said heavy snow may cause disruption and difficult travelling conditions.
Mr Burkill said 20cm or more of snow could settle, adding that is “enough to cause some severe disruption”.
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A yellow rain warning has also been issued across the east of England from 6pm on Thursday to 9pm on Friday, and in west Wales from midday on Thursday to 10am on Friday.
Amber cold weather health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency until 11 January, meaning severe effects across health and social care services are expected.
Officials expect a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, with younger age groups also possibly affected.
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