East Midlands Airport closes runway after heavy snowfall from Storm Goretti

East Midlands Airport has closed its runway after heavy snow from Storm Goretti.

The inclement weather has brought widespread disruption across the Midlands with issues on the roads, on the rail and for flights.

Birmingham Airport has already suspended the use of its runway due to heavy snow.

Now East Midlands Airport has issued a statement on social media site X, saying delays are expected.

The post reads: "Our runway is temporarily closed due to heavy snow, as our teams work hard to clear it as soon as possible.

"The safety of our passengers is our top priority and we appreciate your patience during this time. Flights will resume as soon as it is safe to do so, but some delays are expected.

"If you are due to travel today, please check with your airline for the latest information on your flight and take extra care when travelling to the airport.

"Please also take extra care on roads and footpaths around the airport site. We will provide further updates as soon as possible."

National Grid says power cuts have hit thousands of homes across the Midlands - including hundreds in Shropshire and Wolverhampton, and more than 1,000 in Lickey in Worcestershire.

Many major roads have been brought to a standstill.

It's also been causing problems on the railways - with no service this evening on CrossCountry trains between Peterborough and Leicester.

Birmingham New Street has posted on X urging people not to travel.

The post reads: " Due to multiple incidents caused by Storm Goretti the following lines are closed: Cross City line, Birmingham - Wolverhampton, Snow Hill - Solihull, Please do not attempt to travel this evening."

There is also no East Midlands Railway services between Nottingham and Worksop, between Derby and Matlock, and between Derby and Crewe, due to the poor weather conditions.

Between 5pm on Thursday and 12pm on Friday, a yellow warning for snow is in place covering areas including Nottingham and up to the Peak District.

Snow initially will begin to accumulate across hills in Wales and then increasingly to lower levels overnight.

While not all areas may see accumulating snow, accumulations of 5-10cm are likely quite widely, with scope for 15-25 cm in places, especially on some hills above 200 metres elevation.

Between 8pm on Thursday and 9am on Friday, an amber warning is in place for much of the same area, with heavy snow expected in the north of Wales, Worcester, Leicester and north towards Nottingham.

Met Office Chief Forecaster Neil Armstrong said, “Goretti will bring snow on its northern edge, this most likely over Wales and the Midlands.

"Here, accumulations of 5-10 cm are likely widely, with 15-25 cm in some places, especially hills, and perhaps up to 30 cm very locally.

"An amber warning has been issued where the greatest risk of disruption is likely on Thursday night into Friday morning, though updates may be required as confidence increases in the exact track of Storm Goretti.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…