We're advising residents to take extra care as Storm Goretti is forecast to bring snow, ice and strong winds to parts of the county.

The Met Office has issued an Amber Weather Warning, with snow expected across parts of England and Wales between 8pm on Thursday and 9am on Friday. Forecasts suggest parts of Herefordshire could see between 10 and 20cm of snow on higher ground, and up to 10cm in lower-lying areas, with the potential for strong winds.

Residents are encouraged to only travel if necessary. If you must travel, plan journeys carefully, allow extra time, and take additional care when walking or driving, as freezing temperatures and snowfall are likely to create slippery and hazardous conditions.

The Council’s highways teams are prepared and responding to conditions, with gritting teams continuing to treat priority roads and pavements to help keep the county moving and reduce risks to road users and pedestrians. Since Christmas Eve, teams have completed 17 gritting runs across the county, including operations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

General information about cold weather, including weather forecasts, school closures, social care services, bus and train travel, and how to report problems.

People are encouraged to stay up to date with the latest information on road conditions, gritting routes and travel advice by following Herefordshire Highways on social media.

Further information on winter gritting routes.

Health officials have also issued an Amber cold weather alert, meaning conditions could have an impact on health and wellbeing, particularly for older people, young children and those with existing health conditions. Residents are reminded to check in on vulnerable neighbours, friends and family members during the cold weather.

The Met Office provides a range of information on how to stay safe during snowy weather, including:

• Five tips for staying safe in snow
• Preparing a winter kit for your car
• Travelling in heavy snow and ice

Residents can also find general health and wellbeing advice for keeping warm and well.

If you are worried about your health or someone else’s health, please contact your local pharmacy, GP or NHS 111. In an emergency, always dial 999.

Our Social Care Team will be working hard to ensure services continue during the cold weather. The team will contact service users directly if there are any changes.

The Social Care Advice and Referral Team is available on 01432 260101, and out of hours on 0330 123 9309.

If you are concerned about someone who is sleeping rough, or need help yourself, please make a report using StreetLink. This will alert the Council’s Rough Sleeper Outreach Team, who will then make contact.

In case of power cuts, up to the minute information is available online on the National Grid website.

National Grid Electricity Distribution can be contacted on 105 or 0800 6783 105. Both numbers are 24 hour.

We will also be operating a live blog during the stormy weather, with regular updates.

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Roads and Regulatory Services, Cllr Barry Durkin, said:

“Keeping people safe and the county moving is a top priority for the Council, particularly during challenging weather conditions.

Our teams are monitoring the situation closely and responding as conditions change. We ask residents to plan ahead, take extra care when travelling and, where possible, avoid unnecessary journeys. We also encourage people to keep checking the Council’s website, Herefordshire Highways updates, and local radio and news for the latest information.”

We will continue to monitor Storm Goretti closely and provide updates as necessary.