The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning for wind, alert of the most severe kind, as Storm Goretti is set to hit the UK with strong winds, heavy snow and rain
The Met Office has issued a rare ‘danger to life’ red weather warning as Storm Goretti is set to unleash strong winds, heavy snow and rain across the UK today (January 8).
A red weather warning for wind – the most severe alert possible – will come into effect at 4pm on Thursday. The UK’s weather agency warns that Storm Goretti will bring ‘dangerous stormy winds for a time on Thursday evening’, impacting parts of south west England.
This warning is expected to remain in place until 11pm the same day. Forecasters have cautioned that the affected regions could experience damage to buildings and homes, including roofs being blown off and power lines downed. Flying debris poses a danger to life, and roads, bridges and railway lines may be closed.
Delays and cancellations are anticipated for bus, train, ferry services and flights. Power cuts could disrupt other services, such as mobile phone coverage, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Additionally, very large waves and beach material could be thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and homes.
Further details from the Met Office warn: “Storm Goretti will bring a period of exceptionally strong northwesterly winds to the Isles of Scilly and parts of Cornwall on Thursday evening, with peak gusts of 80-100 mph or more in exposed areas. Winds are expected to increase rapidly from 30-40 mph with violent gusts that may persist for 2-3 hours before easing.
“Winds will remain strong with the broader yellow warning in force until Friday morning. In addition, very large waves will bring dangerous conditions to some coastal areas.”
A red Met Office warning signifies that hazardous weather is anticipated and, if you haven’t already done so, you should take immediate action to protect yourself and others from the severe weather’s impact. Forecasters caution that with a red alert, there’s a high likelihood of risk to life, along with major disruption to transport, power supplies and potentially widespread damage to property and infrastructure.
Amongst the guidance for staying safe during these conditions, the Met Office stated that it is ‘not safe’ to drive whilst the alert remains active. Additionally, the UK weather agency advised people to prepare for power outages by collecting essential items, be cautious of large waves if you reside near the coast, and keep informed about weather updates whilst following guidance from emergency services and local authorities.
Met Office Chief Forecaster Neil Armstrong stated: “A Red severe weather warning for wind has been issued for the Isles of Scilly and much of Cornwall.
“Storm Goretti will bring exceptionally strong gusts in the Red warning area which could reach 100mph or more. Winds are expected to increase rapidly with violent gusts that may persist for 2-3 hours before easing. Heavy snow will affect Wales, the Midlands and parts of northern England overnight and through Friday morning. This multi-hazard event will bring significant disruption to many.
“Goretti will bring snow on its northern edge, this most likely over Wales and the Midlands. Here accumulations of 10-15 cm are likely widely, with 20-30 cm possible in some places, especially higher ground in Wales and the Peak District.
“An Amber warning has been issued where the greatest risk of disruption is likely on Thursday night into Friday morning. This is a complex spell of severe weather and I’d advise people in the warning areas to keep up to date with the forecast and messages from local authorities.”
This comes as the Met Office has released two amber alerts with Storm Goretti poised to batter the nation. The first amber weather warning covers wind conditions across parts of south west England from 4pm to 9pm on Thursday, when gusts could hit a devastating 105mph.
The second amber alert covers snow impacting areas of the East Midlands, south west England, Wales, West Midlands and Yorkshire from 8pm Thursday through to 9am Friday. The Met Office has issued six yellow weather warnings for rain, wind, snow and ice, including a yellow snow warning affecting Greater Manchester and other parts of north west England from 5pm Thursday until 12pm Friday.
In addition to the storm warnings, an amber cold-health alert from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) remains in effect across all of England. This alert signifies that vulnerable or elderly individuals could face increased risk due to the adverse weather conditions, leading to an anticipated ‘rise in deaths’ according to the NHS.
The warning is set to be lifted on January 12.