The Met Office has issued a stark warning that heavy rain combined with rapidly melting snow and ice could trigger significant flooding across parts of the United Kingdom in the aftermath of Storm Goretti.
Storm's Aftermath and Escalating Flood Risk
This new alert follows a week of severe disruption caused by the storm, which brought gusts of almost 100mph to some areas and prompted a rare red weather warning for "dangerous, stormy" winds in the South West. While the worst of the winds have passed, forecasters now highlight a different peril.
Meteorologist Tom Morgan explained that rising temperatures are leading to a "rapid thaw" across northern regions. He stated: "Combined with the rainfall, the higher temperatures, we will see some flooding due to the snow melt gradually as we go through the next few days, so that's the main concern." Temperatures on Monday were expected to reach highs of around 11C (52F) in England and Wales, and up to 7C in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Active Warnings and Nationwide Impact
Multiple agencies have activated flood alerts and warnings. As of Sunday evening, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) had 12 flood alerts and eight flood warnings active. SEPA's flood duty manager, David Morgan, indicated the flood risk was "greatest in Dumfries and Galloway, and the west and north of Scotland."
Elsewhere in the UK:
- The Environment Agency had issued four flood warnings (flooding expected) and 85 flood alerts (flooding possible).
- Natural Resources Wales listed six flood alerts.
The storm's disruption continues to be felt widely. According to the National Grid, more than 12,000 homes were still without power on Sunday evening. National Rail also warned of ongoing train travel disruption into Monday.
Further Weather Warnings and Localised Crises
The Met Office has extended specific weather warnings for parts of the country. A yellow warning for rain covers northwestern Scotland until 10am on Monday, with up to 110mm of rain possible over Skye, Lochaber, Argyll and the Trossachs. A separate yellow wind warning for northwest Scotland, valid until 8am Monday, warns of gusts potentially reaching 85mph.
Forecasters advise those in affected regions to prepare for:
- Delayed journeys
- Localised flooding
- Difficult driving conditions
In a tragic incident linked to the storm, police confirmed a man in his 50s was found dead in a caravan in Helston, Cornwall, after a tree fell onto the vehicle.
The severe weather has also impacted water supplies. South East Water reported that customers in East Grinstead, West Sussex, and surrounding areas experienced "no water, intermittent supply or low pressure" from Saturday morning. The company attributed this to storm damage affecting treatment works and burst water mains caused by freeze-thaw conditions in Kent and Sussex. In Helston, six major water mains were "severely damaged" by uprooted trees.
