Extreme Weather
A large and powerful storm named Ciarán hit northwestern France and Britain late Wednesday and Thursday. The storm, which set records for strong winds and storm intensity, ravaged the region with damaging gusts, heavy rains, huge waves, large hail and an apparent tornado. Jersey and Guernsey islands in the English Channel near northern France were particularly hard hit.
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Photos and videos from social media showed toppled trees, ripped-apart roofs, cars covered in debris and capsized boats. Power outages surpassed 1 million homes in France and 9,000 in southern England and Wales. Rail service and port operations were disrupted across the region.
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Meteo France reported several record wind gusts with the highest ones exceeding 100 mph. A buoy off the coast of western France recorded a wave height of nearly 70 feet.
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Wind gusts over 70 mph were common in southern England, including a 93 mph gust at Jersey Airport. The U.K. Met Office announced records for lowest pressure observed during November as the storm’s pressure dropped to the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane.
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Much of the damage in northwest France and the English Channel was caused by a “sting jet” — a narrow but intense corridor of winds that can develop on the south side of strong low-pressure systems. Sting jets rose to prominence following the Great Storm of 1987, which produced wind gusts up to 135 mph in Britain and France.
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Nov. 2 | London
A person and their dog watch the waves in West Bay, Dorset. Storm Ciarán swept across the southwest and south of England overnight, posing a formidable threat in certain areas such as Jersey, where winds exceeded 100 mph overnight.
Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images
Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images
Nov. 2 | Penmarc'h, France
Foam is seen in the street of Penmarc'h where Storm Ciarán hit the region.
Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images
Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images
Nov. 2 | Romsey, England
A car drives along a flooded road.
Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
Nov. 2 | Porspoder, France
Pedestrians walk past a destroyed warehouse.
Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images
Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images
Nov. 2 | Dover, Kent, Britain
A bus makes its way through heavy rain.
Stuart Brock/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Stuart Brock/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Nov. 2 | Quimperle, Brittany, France
A fallen tree is seen on a house during Storm Ciarán.
Stephane Mahe/Reuters
Stephane Mahe/Reuters
Nov. 2 | Ile-Tudy, France
Municipal employees cut and move fallen trees.
Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images
Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images
Nov. 2 | Lanildut, France
A fallen light is seen in Lanildut.
Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images
Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images
Nov. 2 | Brest, France
A blown-off roof of a residential building lats on the street and a car.
Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images
Damien Meyer/AFP/Getty Images
Nov. 2 | Perros-Guirec, Brittany, France
A fallen tree is seen during the storm.
Benoit Tessier/Reuters
Benoit Tessier/Reuters
Nov. 2 | Pornichet, Brittany, France
Overturned boats in the port of Pornichet, Brittany.
Jeremias Gonzalez/AP
Jeremias Gonzalez/AP
Nov. 2 | Brighton, England
People stand as Storm Ciaran brings high winds and heavy rain along the south coast of England.
Kin Cheung/AP
Kin Cheung/AP
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Credits
Photo editing and production by Troy Witcher; Text by Dan Stillman