Europe braces for Storm Goretti amid extreme cold

France and the UK are on alert on Thursday as Storm Goretti hits Europe's Atlantic coast, bringing along strong winds and high waves, while countries, including Poland, Italy and Sweden, brace for extreme cold and heavy snowfall.

As Storm Goretti is bringing storm-force winds and high waves to a large part of northwestern France, Meteo-France announced on US social media platform X that the Manche department of Normandy was placed on red alert for wind, with several departments on orange alert for wind and coastal flooding.

Manche Prefect Marc Chappuis announced on broadcaster BFMTV that schools will be closed on Friday morning, while access to parks, gardens and the public maritime domain will also be prohibited.

Describing the weather event as "exceptional," he noted that an alert message was sent to all phones and reaffirmed that 800 firefighters would be mobilized overnight.

Meanwhile, UK's Met Office issued an amber wind warning for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and warned that the storm could damage buildings, disrupt transport networks with closures and cancellations, and trigger power cuts.

According to the ANSA news agency, Italy also expects strong mistral winds from the west, with Calabria and Sicily most affected by heavy rain and snowfall, while parts of the country are also forecast to face freezing temperatures.

Poland is also bracing for temperatures as low as minus 30C (minus 22F), prompting Warsaw's mayor to convene an emergency meeting of the capital's crisis management team, broadcaster TVP World reported.

Sweden's weather service, SMHI, also issued red and orange alerts across the country as heavy snowfall and strong winds are expected.