Met Office issues rare red weather warning for Cornwall

The Met Office issued a rare red wind warning for Cornwall for 4pm–11pm as Storm Goretti brings very strong winds and widespread wintry conditions; transport and school closures were announced and officials warned of possible power cuts.

The Met Office issued a rare red wind warning for Cornwall on Thursday as Storm Goretti moved in from the south-west. The warning covers 4pm to 11pm and forecasters described the system as a multi‑hazard event bringing very strong winds alongside heavy rain and snow in parts of the UK. Local authorities and transport operators announced wide-ranging closures and service reductions across several regions as forecasts indicated significant impacts. Key facts: - The Met Office issued a red wind warning for Cornwall from 4pm to 11pm and advised people in the area accordingly; peak gusts of around 100mph were forecast for exposed locations. - Forecasters described Storm Goretti as bringing a mix of very strong winds, heavy rain and wintry falls, with snowfall totals of up to about 30cm reported as possible in some central and western areas. - Major transport disruption was reported, with many rail services and some flights and local routes reduced or suspended from mid‑afternoon, and several councils advising early school closures (Cornwall advised schools to close by 2pm). - Officials warned of likely damage to buildings, large coastal waves, possible power cuts and local evacuations at vulnerable coastal sites. Summary: The warning signals significant disruption across parts of the UK, especially in south‑west England where the red alert was issued for Cornwall this evening. Transport operators moved to reduce or suspend services from mid‑afternoon and local authorities implemented early school closures; agencies and emergency services are monitoring conditions through the warning period and into tomorrow as recovery and response work continues.