LONDON, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- As Storm Goretti is forming a "weather bomb" over the Atlantic, the British Met Office on Thursday upgraded its wind warnings for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to the rare red alert.
The storm, set to strike Britain and France shortly, could be "stronger than other storms in recent memory," the Met Office warned, describing it as a "multi-hazard" event posing "danger to life."
Gusts could reach 100 miles per hour, with as much as 30 cm of snow possible in parts of Britain, it said.
The red alert was issued for Cornwall, south-west England, and the Isles of Scilly on Thursday afternoon. Residents have been warned of life-threatening flying debris, and closed roads and railways are likely to cause travel chaos. Large waves will also pose a threat to seaside homes.
Even stronger winds from Storm Goretti, named by the French weather authority Meteo-France, are expected in the Channel Islands and northern France.
Storm Goretti is also expected to bring significant snowfall, with the largest accumulations likely across Wales and parts of England, where amber warnings have been issued.
Rain will be an additional hazard, particularly for parts of southwest Wales and eastern England as the storm moves through.
The first named storm of 2026, Goretti, has been described by meteorologists as a "weather bomb." The Met Office says a weather bomb is created when a rapid acceleration of air caused by the jet stream high up in the atmosphere removes air from the storm column, reducing its weight, and causing pressure to fall at sea level. ■