At least two dead in England and Wales as storm Goretti leaves nearly 1.2 million without power
Storm Goretti struck the United Kingdom on January 9, 2026, causing at least 2 fatalities in England and Wales. Winds reached 160 km/h (100 mph) as the storm brought heavy snow and significant coastal flooding, leaving nearly half a million customers without power — approximately 1.2 million people. The Met Office issued rare red wind warnings for southwest England as power cuts, flight cancellations, and travel disruption spread across the country.
Snow cover in Briançon, France, on January 8, 2026. Credit: MeteoFrance
Storm Goretti, the seventh named storm of the 2025–26 European storm season, struck the United Kingdom on January 9 with destructive winds and widespread disruption.
The system deepened rapidly over the Atlantic Ocean, with its central pressure falling to around 947 hPa, before moving northeast across Ireland and western Britain.
The UK Met Office placed parts of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and Devon under red wind warnings (the highest level) with gusts locally reaching 160 km/h (100 mph) in some areas. Amber and yellow warnings covered much of the rest of the country for strong winds, rain, and snow.
Snow accumulations reached up to 30 cm (12 inches) in the higher parts of northern England and the Scottish Highlands.
At least two people were killed by falling trees in England and Wales, with emergency services reporting multiple injuries and hundreds of road accidents caused by debris, ice, and poor visibility. Over 250 schools in Scotland remained closed due to heavy snowfall and ice.
Train operators suspended or cancelled services across the southwest and north of England, and several major roads were blocked by fallen trees and overturned vehicles. Birmingham, Bristol, and East Midlands airports were temporarily closed due to high winds, and ferry services across the English Channel were halted. Airlines reported multiple diversions and cancellations.
The strongest winds affected exposed coastal regions in southwest England and Wales, where large waves and debris being flung around by winds created life-threatening conditions.
Over 100 000 homes in southwest England and Wales were out of power, while northern France reported about 380 000 outages as the storm crossed the Channel. Power restoration crews from neighboring regions were deployed under emergency coordination agreements.
Coastal areas in Cornwall and Pembrokeshire experienced localized flooding as waves exceeding 8 m (26 feet) struck exposed shorelines. The Environment Agency issued multiple flood alerts along the western and southern coasts.
The storm also affected western Europe, bringing wind gusts of up to 140 km/h (87 mph) in Brittany and heavy rain across northern France and Belgium. Météo-France placed several departments under red and orange warnings for violent winds.
Forecast models from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the UK Met Office show the system gradually moving into the North Sea by January 10, with conditions easing over southern Britain.
However, strong westerly winds and scattered snow showers are expected to persist across northern England and Scotland through January 11.
Authorities continue to advise the public to avoid unnecessary travel, stay clear of coastal areas, and follow local updates on power restoration and transport status.
References:
1 Storm Goretti leaves tens of thousands without power as travel disruption expected across UK – BBC – January 9, 2026
2 Storm Goretti live: rail services suspended, flights cancelled and schools closed across UK as 380,000 homes in France lose power – The Guardian – January 9, 2026
3 Check for flooding – Gov.UK – Accessed on January 9, 2026
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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