The UK and western France are bracing for the impact of Storm Ciaran, which is set to hit the region with intense rain and winds powerful enough to blow the roofs off buildings and tear down power lines.
Britain’s Met Office has issued multiple warnings, including an amber alert for Thursday in parts of southern England. Ciaran may disrupt travel, damage infrastructure and produce flying debris that “could result in a danger to life,” it said.
In London, the storm is forecast to intensify overnight, with strong wind gusts expected into Thursday.
Across the English Channel, France expects much of the same. “Violent winds, heavy rain and strong waves” are expected in the northwest starting Wednesday evening, Meteo France said in a forecast. Flooding could occur in some areas.
Storm Ciaran is the latest example of extreme weather that is becoming increasingly frequent as the planet becomes warmer. This summer in the Northern Hemisphere — marked by incidents including wildfires, heavily polluted air and flooding — was the hottest on record.
“The rainfall associated with these types of storms is more severe due to climate change,” said Friederike Otto, a senior lecturer at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment at Imperial College London. “The storm surges are higher and thus more damaging due to the higher sea levels,” she said via email.
Also see: Is Extreme Weather Becoming the ‘New Norm’?
Such weather events are also having an impact on the energy landscape in Europe, as the region finds its footing after last year’s gas-supply crisis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
UK wind-power generation surged Wednesday, covering more than half of the country’s electricity output — and reducing the need to burn fossil fuels — grid data showed. Wind generation in France and the Netherlands is also set to soar over the coming days.
The port of Milford Haven in Wales, home to two liquefied natural gas terminals, said by email that it is continuously monitoring conditions and has “robust plans in place for dealing with adverse weather.” In past winters, the port has briefly suspended unloading of vessels due to high winds.
National Grid Plc said it has “a range of measures in place to ensure that we’re ready to deal with potential power cuts.” Several train lines advised customers to expect disruptions.
The UK’s Met Office has yellow warnings for rain in place on Wednesday, with flooding possible in parts of England, Wales and Scotland. Its amber warning for wind on Thursday stretches from Cornwall in the southwest to the mouth of the Thames in eastern England. Gusts may reach 85 miles (137 kilometers) per hour in the most exposed locations, with damage to infrastructure possible, it said.
(Updates with details throughout.)
Author: Anna Shiryaevskaya, Elena Mazneva and Olivia Rudgard