Man dies after tree felled by Storm Goretti hits caravan in Cornwall
A man has been discovered deceased after a tree crashed onto a caravan amidst Storm Goretti, as weather alerts have been issued for the majority of the UK throughout the weekend. Devon and Cornwall police reported that emergency services were notified at around 7:35 PM on Thursday to the Mawgan vicinity of Helston, where efforts were undertaken on Friday to clear the fallen tree. A man in his 50s was found lifeless inside the vehicle. Authorities stated that his death is not being considered suspicious, and his relatives have been notified.
On Saturday, warnings for snow and ice were issued in Scotland and northern and eastern England, while residents in Wales and the midlands, as well as the south-western regions of England, were alerted to potentially icy conditions. Northern Ireland was also cautioned about heavy rain. The warning level for each of these areas was designated as yellow. Additionally, yellow warnings were assigned for Scotland and northern England—particularly across the Pennines—along with a more serious amber warning for snow in regions inland from Aberdeen, Perth, and Stirling in Scotland. A yellow warning will stay in effect in northern and western Scotland through Monday.
The storm has already generated winds reaching nearly 100mph after meteorologists issued a rare red warning for “dangerous, stormy” winds in the south-west. By 9 AM on Saturday, around 27,000 properties in the south-west were lacking power, according to the National Grid’s website, alongside approximately 2,300 in the West Midlands and about 300 in the East Midlands, while power has been fully restored in Wales. Downing Street indicated that assistance was being provided to homes experiencing power outages. National Rail announced that service disruptions might be experienced throughout the weekend across England, Wales, and Scotland.
Forecasters warned that a combination of melting snow and rainfall could escalate flood risks in the upcoming days. Measurements showed approximately 15cm of snow recorded at Lake Vyrnwy in Powys and 7cm at Preston Montford in Shropshire, along with Nottingham. In Scotland, Altnaharra in Sutherland received 27cm, Loch Glascarnoch measured 26cm, and Durris in Kincardineshire reported 22cm. It is anticipated that between 2-5cm of snow may settle on hills above 100 meters in certain areas, with up to 15cm possible in regions above 300 meters in parts of central and eastern Scotland, according to the Met Office.
The Met Office has recommended that those in alert zones should prepare for potential travel delays and allow extra time when commuting to minimize the risk of slips and falls on icy surfaces. Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth stated that Saturday would commence with a “cold start” with probabilities of “icy stretches” before some areas experience dry and sunny spells. She noted: “Exercise caution if you’re traveling this morning. Eastern parts of England will see a few showers throughout the day, some of which may be sleety in nature, but for the majority, it will be a dry day, and in some instances, there will be sunshine. A significant portion of northern England, southern Scotland, and eastern Scotland will enjoy ample dry and bright weather. If you plan to go out, be sure to layer up, as it remains chilly. While winds are fairly light, which minimizes wind chill, you should definitely bundle up if you’re venturing out this afternoon to take advantage of the drier conditions.”
Published: 2026-01-10 12:25:00
source: www.theguardian.com
