Storm Goretti batters UK with 99mph winds, 60,000 go without power
- Last updated: January 9, 2026 | 13:04 ..
Storm Goretti battered the UK with 99mph winds and heavy snow as part of a “weather bomb”, with seven yellow and amber weather warnings to continue throughout Friday.
Around 60,000 properties have been left without power across the Midlands, South West and Wales as of 7.30am this morning.
The Met Office updated an amber wind warning for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to red between 4pm and 11pm on Thursday, with “dangerous stormy winds” battering the south west of England.
Winds of 99mph have been recorded at St Mary’s Airport on the Isles of Scilly, which is a new record for the site, the forecaster said.
Further travel disruption is expected today as West Midlands Railway said it has suspended all services, and British Airways has cancelled 25 departures and 27 arrivals scheduled to operate at London Heathrow.
Officials in the West Midlands have warned of the “worst snowfall in a decade” as parts of the UK prepare to be hit with 25cm of snow.
British Airways cancels dozens of flights
British Airways cancels dozens of flights to and from London Heathrow
Fifty flights on Friday morning have been cancelled to and from London Heathrow airport. The number of aircraft allowed to land has been cut to maintain safe separation.
A dozen of the cancellations are British Airways domestic departures to and from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Jersey and Manchester.
A further 30 BA flights to continental Europe are cancelled, including links to Madrid, Prague and Milan. In addition, Air France, Aer Lingus KLM and Scandinavian airlines have grounded flights to their respective hubs.
The Independent estimates that around 7,000 passengers will have their travel plans changed as a result.
Many train operators are warning travellers not to venture out this morning.
Birmingham airport reopens after almost 10 hours of closure
Thousands of passengers booked to fly to or from Birmingham airport are out of position this morning. But the runway is now open after 10 hours of closure, which saw dozens of cancellations and diversions.
The airport said in a statement: "Reduced runway operations have resumed. The safety of our colleagues and customers is our number one priority. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Passengers due to travel should contact their airline regarding the status of flights."
Under air passengers’ rights rules, travellers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible on any airline, and to be provided with meals and hotels until they get there.
Officials in West Midlands declare 'worst snowfall in a decade'
Officials in the West Midlands have warned of the “worst snowfall in a decade” as parts of England and Wales prepare to be hit with 5-10cm of snow on Friday, and up to 15-25cm in some areas.
In a statement on Wednesday, Stoke-on-Trent City Council reassured residents it had not run out of grit after “misinformation” began to circulate.
It said: “We are now facing the worst snowfall we have faced in 10 years. The Met Office has predicted that we could have 3.5 inches of snow and temperatures as low as minus 4˚C on Thursday into Friday morning. As a result, we are carefully managing our resources and stock of salt.”
The statement added: “Unfortunately, we have been made aware of some misinformation circulating regarding the council’s salt supplies and gritting operations. It simply isn’t true that we have run out of grit.”
Thousands left without any power supply
Around 60,000 premises have been left without gas or electricity as Storm Goretti has wreaked havoc across the southwest and Midlands, according to the National Grid.
It comes after the wild, wintry weather brought 99mph winds while a rare red warning was issued by the Met Office for "dangerous, stormy" winds in the South West.
If you can delay or avoid your journey, it will be much safer to do so’ – Automobile Association (AA) president
Edmund King, president of the AA, has been warning motorists of “pretty treacherous driving conditions this morning, particularly across Wales, the Midlands, and both eastern and western areas up into Yorkshire”.
He told BBC 5 Live: “Cornwall is also still affected. Even the A30 – one of Cornwall’s main routes – has been closed in both directions again because of fallen trees, following overnight winds that are still causing problems.
“There are also multiple road closures in Wales due to unstable or fallen trees.”
Schools shut
Many schools will remain closed for a fifth day on Friday as the country remains gripped by ongoing wintry weather.
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning of snow and ice covering much of Scotland which came into force at 8pm and runs until midday on Friday.
It comes after several days of "intense" snowfall, ice and sub-zero temperatures which have led to school closures and travel disruption, mainly in the north of the country.
Scotland's first minister John Swinney will visit the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) Amey depot in Aberdeen on Friday to hear about recovery efforts as part of the wider ongoing response to the severe weather in northern Scotland.
More than 250 schools are due to remain closed on Friday, including more than 150 in Aberdeenshire, dozens in the Highlands and Aberdeen, and a number in Moray.
Many pupils will have had a whole week off school at the start of the new term, though remote learning has been provided in many cases.
A total of 278 schools were closed on Thursday across northern Scotland, or around 11 per cent of the school estate - down on the 440 that were closed on Wednesday.
The Independent