The French meteorological services declared a red warning for the Manche department and the coast of the English Channel due to the approach of the storm Goreta, while the northwestern part of France was placed under an orange level of alert due to strong winds.
The warnings come into effect tonight, reports BFM. Storm Goreti will affect the coast of the English Channel from the early evening hours, and the red warning will be valid from 9 pm to 3 am.
#Goretti – Accord relativemente bon entre les modèles concernant la tempête avec des vents pouvant excéder 150 km/h sur le littoral du département de la Manche, potentiellement le plus touché avec le Calvados où l’intérieur connaîtrait des rafales > 120 km/h.
La dépression… pic.twitter.com/dhlIsAPTd6— Keraunos (@KeraunosObs) January 8, 2026
Wind gusts of 150 to 160 kilometers per hour are expected on the coast, and from 130 to 140 kilometers per hour inland.
Après d’importantes chutes de neige, la France va être frappée par une bombe météorologique. La tempête Goretti est attendue sur les côtes en fin d’après-midi. La Manche a été placée en vigilance rouge pour vents violentes. #Telematin pic.twitter.com/i8lAWGeOfp
— Telematin (@telematin) January 8, 2026
Strong winds will hit the Atlantic coast as well. A total of 24 departments will be under an orange warning due to the wind, including the entire north-west of France and the Île-de-France region.
Météo-France warned that during the day the alert level could increase further in certain departments of the Normandy region, especially in Calvados and Seine-Maritime.
Due to the storm, rail traffic in Normandy will be completely suspended from tonight.
The national railway company SNCF announced that the gradual restoration of traffic is expected only on Friday afternoon, and that disruptions, delays and cancellations of trains are also possible in other parts of the country today and tomorrow.
Also, the three departments of Haute-Savoie, Savoie and Vaucluse are still under orange warning due to snow and ice.
Météo-France predicts snowfall in the Northern Alps, with 10 to 20 centimeters of snow expected in the interior valleys of Savoie, while ice in the Vaucluse region is the main problem on the roads.
La tempête #Goretti qui va balayer le nord-ouest du pays ce soir et la nuit prochaine s’annonce plus violente qu’annoncee.
Sur le département de la Manche, en #vigilanceRougeles rafales atteindront 150 à 160 km/h sur la côte et 130 à 140 km/h dans l’intérieur (Météo France). pic.twitter.com/PHdhc5NlTk— Visactu (@visactu) January 8, 2026
Meteorological services also warn of the risk of strong westerly waves in the English Channel, especially around 11 p.m., as well as the possibility of local coastal flooding.
Citizens are advised to exercise caution and limit travel in affected areas.
(Vijesti.ba)
