The West Midlands was plunged into travel chaos on Thursday night as Storm Goretti unleashed a ferocious and rapid blizzard across the region. Residents in Birmingham watched in astonishment as their city was blanketed by heavy snow, with some reporting accumulations of four inches in little over an hour.
A Rapid and Dangerous Onslaught
Flurries began around 7pm on January 8, 2026, but the snowfall quickly intensified. Social media was flooded with reports of the astonishing speed of the accumulation. TikTok user Alex Phillips shared footage from Birmingham, stating on X that "Two inches of snow has fallen in Birmingham in 45 minutes." Shortly after, local resident Richard Johnson reported a staggering "Four inches of snow, Birmingham B45," suggesting the depth had doubled in under half an hour.
Transport Network Brought to a Standstill
The Met Office, which had issued an 'amber' weather warning, described conditions as "dangerous" for travel, and the prediction proved accurate. Major roads were severely affected, with a section of the M5 motorway becoming nearly impassable. Lanes two and three were closed between junctions 4 and 3 due to the blizzard, causing significant tailbacks.
Public transport services were scrapped or diverted across the board. National Express buses were rerouted, while Solihull operator LandFlight suspended all services. Rail travel was also crippled; National Rail implemented a reduced timetable from 7pm, and a multiple points failure was reported at Snow Hill station. Notices at Birmingham New Street urged passengers to "Only travel if absolutely necessary."
Ongoing Disruption and School Closures
The Met Office warned that the disruptive conditions from Storm Goretti would likely persist until around midday on Friday. The forecast for the West Midlands warned of "significant falls of snow" leading to "disruption and dangerous travelling conditions," with icy patches expected.
In anticipation of the ongoing hazard, several schools across the West Midlands have already announced they will be closed on Friday for safety reasons, with others set to make a decision first thing in the morning. The storm's impact has left authorities urging the public to exercise extreme caution and to plan any essential journeys with great care.
