Western Europe is bracing for fresh snowfall and freezing temperatures today as Storm Goretti sweeps across the Atlantic coast. The severe winter weather has already caused widespread flight cancellations, rail disruptions, and major problems on road networks.

Heavy snowfall hit the Paris region early in the morning. Western Britain is expected to feel the impact of the storm on Thursday and Friday.

Parisians took to the snowy slopes of Montmartre, sledding and skiing as a rare blanket of snow transformed the French capital's streets and parks pic.twitter.com/ek6IYzYdhP

— Reuters (@Reuters) January 5, 2026

Authorities issued snow and ice warnings for large parts of France and the United Kingdom.

France Faces Rare Winter Conditions

France’s national weather service, Météo-France, announced that snow and frost are affecting northern and western regions of the country. Officials described the phenomenon as “rare in scale under current climate conditions.”

The British Met Office confirmed that frost warnings remain in place for Scotland. However, authorities expect conditions to ease later today across most of England and Wales.

Flight Cancellations and Road Closures in France

Snow forced the cancellation of around 100 flights this morning at Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, according to French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot.

The minister urged nationwide caution, warning that hazardous weather could also disrupt road travel.

Authorities suspended bus services in Paris. They also banned trucks and school buses from operating in about one-third of France’s departments, mainly in the north.

TRAVEL NIGHTMARE: More than 600 flights will be disrupted at Amsterdam's Airport Schiphol on Wednesday as heavy snow and wind lash the Netherlands. In addition to the travel disruptions, a shortage of de-icing fluid is causing additional delays. https://t.co/p3UnRIjrtk pic.twitter.com/pV6XYtgXdc

— FOX Weather (@foxweather) January 7, 2026

Major Disruptions at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Air travel problems intensified in the Netherlands and Belgium.

KLM canceled 600 scheduled flights from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. This marks the sixth consecutive day of disruption at one of Europe’s busiest airports. In total, at least 800 flights were canceled today, with more cancellations possible later.

More than 1,000 passengers spent the night at Schiphol. Airport staff provided camp beds and breakfast for stranded travelers.

Rail Delays and Work-From-Home Advice in the Netherlands

Train services also faced disruptions. Dutch rail operator NS advised passengers to postpone non-essential travel.

Authorities urged citizens to work from home where possible to reduce congestion and improve safety.

Weather-Related Delays in Belgium

In Brussels, several flights were canceled, while others faced delays. Crews worked to remove ice from runways and aircraft wings before allowing departures.

Climate Change and Rare Snowfall Patterns

Snowfall is becoming increasingly rare in the Netherlands, according to meteorologist Peter Siegmund from the national weather service, speaking to public broadcaster NOS.

“Temperatures have risen by two degrees. Rainfall has increased, especially in winter. Since the start of the century, we have seen only one cold wave. In the previous century, it happened about every three years,” he explained.

Data from the Dutch meteorological service ANP show that De Bilt, near Utrecht, has recorded more snowfall than in the previous four years combined. Snow has fallen continuously there since January 2.

Record Traffic Congestion

By around 9:00 a.m. local time, traffic jams across the Netherlands exceeded 700 kilometers in total length. Authorities described this as an unprecedented situation for a Wednesday morning, not seen since February 10, 1999.