Storm Cirian, normalcy not expected to return before Friday

Storm Cirian has settled comfortably over France, bringing with it a series of disruptions that were fortunately anticipated.

More than 12,500 firefighters remain on alert this Thursday morning, according to the Civil Security spokesperson. Storm Cirian is sweeping across a very large northwest quadrant of the country since Wednesday evening with gusts of wind reaching up to 180 km/h. A record was notably registered in La Manche at Granville with gusts reaching 175 km/h. These disruptions have significantly extended beyond this area, with winds of
90 km/h recorded in Paris and up to Noyers in Burgundy.

Power outages and falling trees characterized the night from Wednesday to Thursday, extensively disrupting traffic. It is strongly advised not to drive on Thursday. More than 100 firefighter interventions had already been recorded before midnight in Morbihan.

For its part, SNCF announced last night the cancellation of TER services for Thursday in Pays de la Loire, Brittany, Normandy, Centre-Val de Loire, and Hauts-de-France. In Brittany, only the TGV trains connecting Paris to Rennes are operating.

According to Transport Minister Clément Beaune, traffic is expected to resume on Friday around 5 a.m. He also announced a ban on the circulation of heavy trucks on Thursday across a broad Brittany-Normandy area.

We remind you that due to very severe weather conditions, emergency services are highly mobilized. They are prioritizing vital emergency interventions. In all cases, do not overload emergency lines. Do not call emergency services for fallen trees unless they impact health or safety.