The Met Office has placed 96 specific parts of the United Kingdom under severe weather warnings, with forecasts predicting up to 12 inches (30cm) of snow in some areas before Saturday. A significant winter storm named Storm Goretti is expected to bring widespread disruption from Thursday, January 8, through to Saturday, January 10.
Amber and Yellow Warnings Issued Nationwide
Meteorologists have issued a combination of yellow and amber weather warnings across the country. The most severe amber warning highlights a high risk of significant disruption, particularly from Thursday night into Friday morning. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has also activated Amber cold weather health alerts for every region in England, which will remain in force until January 11.
Met Office Chief Forecaster, Neil Armstrong, stated that Storm Goretti will be a multi-hazard event. He explained: “The most significant impacts from snow are expected in parts of Wales and the Midlands, though rain and strong winds also have the potential to bring disruption to many.” He detailed that accumulations of 5-10 cm are likely widely, with 15-25 cm on higher ground and a possibility of up to 30 cm very locally.
Uncertain Forecast for the Weekend
While the initial blast of cold weather and snow will dominate the start of the weekend, the forecast becomes highly uncertain by Sunday. Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster, Mark Sidaway, outlined the complex situation. “It’ll remain cold or very cold to start the weekend, although for most it will be dry,” he said. “We then have very large uncertainties in the forecast by Sunday and Monday as milder air from the Atlantic tries to displace the cold air over the UK. This set up brings a risk of some further widespread snowfall.”
Sidaway urged the public to stay aware of the latest forecasts and warnings over the coming days due to the potential for additional snow events as the weather systems battle for dominance.
Full List of Affected Local Authorities
The areas under warning span the entire UK. Key regions include the East and West Midlands, much of Wales, central and northern England, and large parts of Scotland. The detailed list of 96 affected local authorities is as follows:
East Midlands: Derby, Derbyshire, Leicester, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Rutland.
East of England: Bedford, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Luton, Peterborough.
South East: Buckinghamshire, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire.
North East: Durham, Northumberland.
North West: Cheshire East, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire.
South West: Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, Wiltshire.
Wales: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Torfaen, Wrexham.
West Midlands: Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire, West Midlands Conurbation, Worcestershire.
Yorkshire and Humber: North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire.
Central Scotland: Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling.
North East Scotland: Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray.
Highlands & Islands: Na h-Eileanan Siar, Highland, Orkney Islands.
South Scotland: Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian Council, Scottish Borders, West Lothian.
Strathclyde: Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire.
Residents in these areas are advised to prepare for potential travel delays, power disruptions, and hazardous conditions. The public should follow official updates from the Met Office and local authorities.
