An amber weather warning has been issued for the West Midlands and surrounding areas in the UK, anticipating heavy snowfall from Storm Goretti. The warning covers regions including Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, and parts of Staffordshire.
The alert is active from 17:00 GMT on Thursday until 09:00 GMT on Friday, with the most severe weather expected from 20:00 GMT on Thursday. Snowfall is projected to reach 10-15cm, with the potential for 20-30cm in some localized areas. Stoke-on-Trent City Council noted this could be the most substantial snowfall the area has experienced in a decade.
Disruption and hazardous travelling conditions are expected. Individuals are advised to travel only when necessary, and some schools in the region have informed parents of potential closures on Friday.
Local councils are implementing gritting operations in preparation for road surface temperatures dropping below freezing. Stoke-on-Trent City Council confirmed its salt supplies are adequate and gritting efforts are ongoing, despite previous reports concerning grit bin levels.
Transport services are expected to be affected. Some bus services in Shropshire have been cancelled, including the Connect On-Demand service. National Highways has issued an amber severe weather alert for roads in the region, in effect from 18:00 GMT on Thursday to 09:00 GMT on Friday. Motorists are advised to plan journeys and anticipate difficult driving conditions, particularly on routes around Birmingham, Leicester, and Nottingham. West Midlands Railway has also advised passengers to check their journeys prior to travelling.
Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong indicated that parts of Wales and the Midlands would experience the most significant impacts from the snow.