Rare 'red' weather alert for 100mph winds as Storm Goretti 'weather bomb' set to hit UK
A "weather bomb" is set to bring heavy snowfall and galeforce winds to the UK as Storm Goretti hits with a rare red warning for wind issued.
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The forecaster warned of "dangerous, stormy winds" of up to 100mph in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
These are expected to increase rapidly, with a risk to life from flying debris in Cornwall on Thursday from 4pm until 11pm.
Storm Goretti, named by French weather forecaster Meteo France, has been described as a "multi-hazard event" by the Met Office, with as much of 30cm of snow possible for parts of the UK and wind gusts of up to 100mph.
Meteorologists said South West England would be hit by 'exceptionally strong' winds and told those in the area to avoid going outside during the window.
It warned peak gusts of '100mph or more' were expected in exposed areas of Cornwall and the 'violent gusts' could 'persist for two to three hours'.
Further weather warnings have been issued for snow, wind, rain and ice across the country ahead of likely "disruption and dangerous travelling conditions".
Also known as explosive cyclogenesis, a so-called "weather bomb" is caused when the central pressure in an area of low pressure falls rapidly. The pressure has to fall by 24 millibars in 24 hours to qualify.
⚠️ Storm Goretti ⚠️
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 8, 2026
Gales & severe gales will develop in the far south & southwest this afternoon
Storm-force winds are likely in far southwest England, tracking east through the English Channel, impacting northern France and the Channel Islands with peak gusts of 80-100 mph pic.twitter.com/ZNNwTRn2Rl
Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong said: "Storm Goretti will be a multi-hazard event, with the most significant impacts from snow in parts of Wales and the Midlands and the very strong winds in the far South West, though heavy rain in some parts of Wales and East Anglia also has the potential to bring disruption to many.
"Goretti will bring snow on its northern edge, this most likely over Wales and the Midlands.
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Accumulations of 10-15cm are likely widely, with 20-30cm 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."
'Strong enough to bring down trees'
Storm Goretti will see a pressure drop of 36 millibars in the 24 hours from 6pm on Wednesday to 6pm on Thursday.
The Met Office said winds during a weather bomb can be "strong enough to bring down trees and cause structural damage".
The worst of the gusts are likely to be in the South West, including Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, where an amber warning is in place from 4pm to 11pm and gusts could reach up to 100mph in exposed locations along the coast.
A separate yellow warning for wind has also been issued for the entire south coast, where gusts of up to 60mph are forecast.
The weather service said the "exceptional" wind speeds could be stronger than recent storms such as Ciaran in 2023 and Eunice in 2022.
Strong winds with gusts of 50-60mph could also affect south-west Wales and parts of southern England.
Meanwhile, an amber warning for snow runs from 8pm until 9am on Friday covering parts of Wales, the Midlands and South Yorkshire.
The Met Office said rain associated with the storm in these areas will turn to "heavy snow", which may lead to some rural communities being cut off.
Around 10-15cm of snow is likely across the warning area, with up to 30cm on higher ground in Wales and the Peak District.
A yellow warning for snow is also in place from 5pm until noon on Friday for a wider part of England, from Northumberland to Wiltshire, as well as a snow and ice warning in Scotland from 10pm until noon.
Travel chaos
Network Rail said all trains in Cornwall will be suspended from 6pm on Thursday because of an amber weather warning for strong winds.
In Devon, trains on the Exeter-Okehampton and Exeter-Barnstaple routes will be suspended from the same time because of forecast high wind speeds.
Passengers are advised to travel earlier and not to attempt travel late this afternoon.
Services on affected routes are expected to be disrupted on Friday morning.
Replacement road transport will not be available as road conditions are also expected to be affected by the weather.