Storm Eowyn: Record Winds Hit the British Isles and Warnings Issued in France

Storm Eowyn, described as a “weather bomb,” is battering Ireland and parts of the United Kingdom with historically intense winds. Gusts reaching 183 km/h have been recorded in Galway, on Ireland’s west coast, surpassing records dating back to 1945. The entire island, along with parts of the UK, is under red alert, including Northern Ireland and Scotland, where authorities expect gusts exceeding 170 km/h and waves over 10 meters high.

The storm has caused significant disruptions in Ireland, leaving more than 800,000 homes without electricity due to “widespread and unprecedented damage” to power infrastructure, according to operator ESB. Airports in Dublin, Cork, and Shannon have canceled nearly 230 flights. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin has called the event a “historic storm” and urged caution, while a crisis meeting has been convened.

Orange Warning for Morbihan

In France, the storm’s effects are also being felt. Météo-France has placed Morbihan under an orange “rain-flood” alert this Friday, January 24, with sustained and occasionally heavy rain expected until midnight. Although typical for the season, the saturated soil requires extra vigilance.

Strong winds are also forecast along the Channel coast and in northwestern France, with gusts of up to 100 km/h along the shoreline. The rainfall associated with the storm is expected to bring significant amounts, equivalent to a month’s worth of precipitation in some areas, particularly in Brittany, Normandy, and the Hauts-de-France region, where rivers will be closely monitored.

An Exceptional Situation

With a rare intensity for this part of the world, Storm Eowyn resembles the destructive impacts of tropical hurricanes. Infrastructure, transport, and communities across the British Isles are severely affected, while western France remains on high alert for the coming hours.