Storm Austen to batter northern France with winds of up to 140km/h

The first major storm of autumn will bring powerful winds of well over 100 km/h to France’s northern coastline and winds of 90km/h as far inland as Champagne this Friday (October 23). 

Winds in coastal areas could reach up to 140km/h in France and up to 130km/h in the UK.  

Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, will arrive from the Atlantic on Thursday evening, hitting the UK and moving across the English Channel overnight. 

Propelled by a powerful jet stream, it will bring rain and strong winds to much of the UK, with the latter centred on the English Channel coastline. 

In turn, the storm will also clip the north of France before moving into Benelux and northern Germany.

“The wind will strengthen significantly [in the wake of the storm], with gusts expected to exceed 100 km/h, potentially even higher, across northern Brittany,” said French state forecaster Météo France.

“Subsequently, these conditions will affect Normandy and the Hauts-de-France region throughout the day and afternoon on Friday.”

Rain is also expected to follow the winds, but storms are not forecast.

The forecaster has issued heightened orange weather warnings for wind in three Breton departments: Côtes-d’Armor, Finistère, and Morbihan, which come into force at 22:00 tonight. 

On Friday morning, heightened warnings will extend to several other departments in Brittany, Pays de la Loire, and Normandy, and much of northern France will be on a tier-two yellow alert for wind and rain. 

These alerts are subject to change as more information about the passage of the storm becomes available. 

Residents in the north of France should keep up to date with weather information. Our article here gives tips on how to do so. 

Travel disruption and what to do  

In light of the expected winds, train services have already been cancelled across much of the north.

All rail services across the Normandy region will be cancelled on Friday and Saturday morning, announced rail operator SNCF. Services will resume progressively from Saturday afternoon depending on weather conditions.

In Brittany, some TER (regional train) services will be cancelled, including routes from Brest. The same applies to the Hauts-de-France region, where a number of local TER routes will also be suspended from Thursday night to Saturday afternoon. 

Delays are expected on routes that continue to run. 

Those planning to travel on Friday or Saturday should check if their train is still scheduled using local SNCF websites, or the national SNCF Connect website. 

Local authorities may close public areas including parks and walking routes due to the weather, particularly in coastal areas. If planning to go on a hike or visit affected departments on Friday and Saturday, check in advance that the location or route remains open.

Drivers should also be careful when on the roads during periods of intense wind, as trees can uproot and debris fly across roads. They are advised to check their route in advance.

Residents should also look to protect their homes by tying down outdoor furniture and parking vehicles away from trees that can uproot.

Staying indoors is recommended, and people should only go outside if necessary. More advice is available here.