Storm Goretti Hits France with Severe Winds and Disruptions, Manche Residents Urged to Shelter

Storm Goretti is sweeping across France with intense weather conditions characterized as a 'weather bomb,' causing rapid atmospheric pressure drops and generating violent winds and towering sea waves. The Manche department is under a red alert, with winds reaching speeds up to 160 km/h along the coast, and 29 other departments including Île-de-France are on orange alert for gusts between 90 and 110 km/h.

Meteorologists describe the storm as a rapidly intensifying depression, with pressure expected to plummet from 1,010 hPa to approximately 970 hPa in less than 24 hours. This has led to highly unstable weather, including waves up to 9 meters high, coastal flooding risks, and potential thunderstorms with tornado-like vortices in some areas.

Authorities issued a rare 'extremely grave' red vigilance warning early Thursday morning to Manche residents, urging them to seek shelter promptly and follow specific safety instructions: remain indoors, avoid staying under trees, secure windows and doors, restrict travel, and fasten loose objects. The city of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin witnessed startled residents reacting to the emergency alert activation at 10:55 AM.

In preparation for the storm's impact, 150 firefighters from the Centre-Val-de-Loire and military personnel from the 1st Civil Security Intervention Regiment are deployed to provide assistance.

Transport systems in northwestern France face significant disruptions. Train services (TER) in Hauts-de-France and Normandy are suspended from January 8 evening to January 9 afternoon, with additional interruptions expected in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Road restrictions include bans on school buses and heavy trucks in Manche, alongside selective bridge closures during peak storm hours. Airports remain open but are implementing precautionary spacing and monitoring, particularly at Brest, Rennes, and Nantes.

Cyrille Duchesne from La Chaîne Météo explained that such storms, while intense, are typical for winter in temperate climates and that the increased severity does not necessarily indicate rising storm frequency nor direct climate change causality.

As Storm Goretti progresses from Brittany toward broader northwestern and central regions through Friday morning, residents and travelers are urged to remain vigilant and heed official safety guidance to mitigate risks from high winds, flooding, and transport interruptions.