A major winter storm named Storm Goretti has swept across Western Europe, bringing widespread travel chaos and transforming iconic landmarks into winter wonderlands under a thick blanket of snow on Wednesday 7 January 2026.
Transport Grinds to a Halt Across the Continent
The storm's impact on transport has been severe and far-reaching. Flights were cancelled at major hubs, train services suffered significant disruptions, and numerous roads were blocked by snow and ice. In France, the civil aviation authority mandated substantial cuts to flight schedules, demanding a 40% reduction at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and a 25% cut at Orly airport.
Images from Charles de Gaulle showed Air France aircraft stationary on snow-covered tarmac. The situation was mirrored at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, where Dutch carrier KLM cancelled 600 flights scheduled for the day, citing a shortage of de-icing fluid for its jets. In Brussels, de-icing operations on runways and aircraft wings caused lengthy delays.
French officials took drastic measures on the roads, banning trucks and school buses in a third of the country's administrative departments, predominantly in the north.
Iconic Landscapes Transformed by Snow
The storm delivered a picturesque, if disruptive, scene across several European capitals. In Paris, the city's parks and its most famous structure, the Eiffel Tower, were layered with snow in the morning light, with one resident even photographed skiing near the landmark.
In the UK, London experienced notable snowfall. The water in Little Venice, Paddington, was frozen over, while pedestrians trudged through snow in areas like Westminster. The cold snap led to dangerous conditions elsewhere in Britain, with a school bus crashing into a ditch after slipping on black ice in Chilmington Green, Ashford.
Frankfurt in Germany was also seen shrouded in white, and in Munich, a man was captured skating across the frozen Nymphenburg Canal.
Warnings and Wider Impacts
Ahead of the storm, cold weather warnings covered vast swathes of France and Britain. As the day progressed, the UK's Met Office issued an amber "danger to life" wind alert specifically for Storm Goretti, highlighting the severe risks posed by the system.
The disruption extended beyond travel. In the Netherlands, authorities advised people to plan to work from home where possible to avoid unnecessary journeys. The widespread nature of the storm and the pre-emptive warnings indicate authorities were braced for a significant weather event, which has now materialised with substantial impact on daily life across the region.
