Dozens of schools are set to shut down tomorrow due to the impending heavy snowfall expected to arrive overnight. Many schools in the Midlands and Wales have decided to close on Friday following an amber weather warning for snow, active from 8 pm today until 9 am tomorrow. Among the affected regions, Shropshire will see more than twenty schools not opening their doors. Storm Goretti has made its presence felt in the UK, bringing with it heavy snow, strong gusts reaching up to 99mph, and causing power outages for tens of thousands in southwestern England on Thursday evening.
The Met Office issued an amber alert, stating that the rain associated with the storm will transition into “heavy snow,” potentially leading to power disruptions and isolated communities being cut off. The affected areas are expected to receive 10 to 15cm of snow, with higher ground in Wales and the Peak District possibly seeing up to 30cm of snowfall.
Additionally, a yellow snow warning remains in effect until midday tomorrow for the same regions as well as parts of northern and southern England, including London. A second yellow warning for snow and ice, also active until midday tomorrow, encompasses northern and eastern Scotland along with northern England. In Scotland, more than 250 schools will stay closed, including 150 in Aberdeenshire, multiple schools in the Highlands and Aberdeen, and a few in Moray.
Simultaneously, numerous schools in Cornwall had to close early today due to strong winds, with a rare red weather warning issued by the Met Office for the region, including the Isles of Scilly. Cornwall Council’s website provides a comprehensive list of school closures. St Mary’s Airport on the Isles of Scilly recorded wind speeds of 99mph, setting a new record for the location, as confirmed by the Met Office.
Neil Armstrong, the Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, cautioned about the possibility of sustained “violent gusts” for up to three hours before subsiding. He highlighted the red weather warning for the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall, forecasting exceptionally strong gusts exceeding 100mph in the warned areas. Armstrong emphasized the rapid increase in winds with intense gusts likely to persist for a few hours before calming down. The weather system is expected to cause significant disruptions due to heavy snowfall affecting Wales, the Midlands, and parts of northern England overnight and into Friday morning. This severe weather event will bring about considerable disturbances to many areas, with snow accumulation of 10-15cm widely expected and up to 20-30cm in certain locations, particularly on elevated terrain in Wales and the Peak District.
Armstrong advised residents within the warning areas to stay updated with the latest forecasts and follow guidance from local authorities.