Storm Goretti Batters UK and France With Extreme Winds, Snow and Major Disruptions

Overview

• Utilities reported widespread outages, with more than 57,000 customers without power in southwest England and Wales and about 320,000 households cut off in France around midday.
• Rail travel faced major interruptions as National Rail urged UK passengers to check services and regional trains in northwest France were suspended, while Birmingham Airport reopened with reduced operations after a brief closure.
• Authorities recorded exceptional gusts, including up to 213 km/h on the Normandy coast and roughly 159–160 km/h in parts of the UK such as the Isles of Scilly.
• Heavy snowfall compounded disruption in Scotland, where more than 50 cm earlier in the week led to intensive road clearing and the closure of over 250 schools on Friday.
• France’s EDF shut down the Flamanville nuclear plant due to the storm, and the national safety regulator said the move posed no risk to the public or the environment.