Storm Goretti struck a large part of the country on the night of January 8-9, causing exceptionally strong gusts and major disruptions. After several hours under maximum alert, the Manche department finally saw its red alert downgraded to orange. This violent weather event left behind tens of thousands of emergency responses, significant power outages, and a highly mobilized emergency response system. Météo-France indicated early the next morning that the worst of the storm had passed, particularly in Brittany and Manche, the only area placed under red alert at its peak. As anticipated, this alert was lowered at 3:00 a.m., while 21 departments remained under orange alert for high winds.
Unprecedented gusts of wind and a severely impacted power grid
During the night, a gust reached 213 km/h in Barfleur, on the northeast coast of the English Channel, a level rarely seen in France. Other remarkable peaks were recorded, with 148 km/h in Cherbourg and 147 km/h in Caen. Such a level of violence was reminiscent of major storms in recent years, notably Storm Ciaran in 2023, which had already made its mark with winds approaching 200 km/h. Despite the intensity of the event, no serious casualties were reported in the affected areas. However, the material consequences were considerable. According to Enedis, approximately 380,000 homes were without power nationwide on Friday morning. Reinforcements were deployed and a crisis management plan activated to expedite the restoration of electricity to the most affected areas. From Finistère to Seine-Maritime, firefighters responded to a series of incidents, mainly involving fallen trees, damaged roofs, and downed power lines. In Normandy, nearly a thousand firefighters were mobilized to deal with what local authorities considered an unusually large-scale event.
Restrictions remain in place and vigilance remains high.
Gusts of wind between 110 and 120 km/h, and even up to 130 km/h locally along the Aquitaine coast, were still expected as the showers passed through. As a precaution, schools remained closed in the Manche and Seine-Maritime departments. Authorities urged residents to limit their travel, stay indoors, and prepare emergency lighting and drinking water supplies. Several major infrastructures, including large viaducts and strategic bridges, were closed as a precaution, while rail traffic was suspended in Normandy and disrupted in several neighboring regions. At sea, caution was also advised. Maritime prefectures advised against all outings due to waves exceeding ten meters in some areas. Some ferry services, particularly to Corsica, were canceled or postponed, and iconic tourist sites such as Mont-Saint-Michel temporarily closed.
