Britain’s first named storm of the year is set to strike this week, bringing heavy snow and strong winds as a new year cold snap continues to bite.
The French meteorological service, Meteo France, has named it as Goretti, and the south of the UK is expected to be most heavily affected on Thursday and Friday.
Sky News meteorologist Dr Christopher England said that the “exact storm track is a little uncertain” but added that the “most likely scenario is heavy rain spreading from the southwest on Thursday turning to snow from around Wales across to East Anglia”.
He said that “significant falls” were likely, along with “severe gales around southern coasts”.
As it happened: ‘Multi-hazard’ event on way this week
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended its amber cold health alerts across England until midday on Sunday.
The warnings came after what the Met Office has reported as “the coldest night of the winter so far,” and as a major incident was declared in Aberdeenshire.
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UK weather latest: Storm Goretti set to bring heavy snow – with ‘multi-hazard’ event on way this week
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Aberdeenshire council said that expects a “prolonged period of significant impacts” over the weather, warning of:
• Travel delays on roads are likely, stranding some vehicles and passengers;
• Some delays and cancellations to rail and air travel are likely;
• There is a good chance that some rural communities could become cut off;
• Injuries from slips and falls are likely on icy surfaces;
• Untreated pavements and cycle paths likely to be impassable;
• There is a good chance that power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.
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New weather warnings issued by Met Office
The office has issued fresh weather warnings for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Three yellow warnings in effect on Wednesday. One, for ice, covers Northern Ireland. A second warning for snow and ice is also in effect across northern mainland Scotland, part of the Outer Hebrides, and the Orkney Islands.
And a third – for ice – covers much of the rest of UK except southwest England and the west coasts of Wales and Scotland.
Check the latest weather forecast where you are
Thursday sees two new yellow warnings: One for wind in the southwest of England, and one for snow in much of Wales, the Midlands, Bath and Bristol, and Oxford.
The snow warning lasts until midday on Friday, and warns that in some areas “5-10 cm of snow may settle with the potential for up to 20 cm in some locations, especially over higher ground”.
Two amber warnings for snow are in effect in Scotland throughout Tuesday, as hundreds of schools in Shetland, Orkney and Aberdeenshire remained shut.
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Meanwhile, Monday night was “the coldest night of the winter so far,” according to the Met Office, after a low temperature of -12.5C (9.5F) was recorded in Marham, Norfolk.
Those waking up in London at 5am faced temperatures down to -5C (23F), with overnight lows of -11.2C (11.84F) in Dalwhinnie, in the Scottish Highlands.
In a post on social media, the Met Office said: “Last night was the coldest night of the winter so far, making it a very cold and frosty start for most of us this morning.”
National Rail said that train services in northern Scotland will be disrupted until the end of the day on Tuesday.
