Storm Ciaran arrives on England shore
Europeans prepare for possible highest winds in decades
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France, England and countries across western Europe braced for what could be some of the highest wind speeds the region has witnessed in decades as Storm Ciaran arrived on the English coast Wednesday evening.
Heavy rain associated with the storm was pushing ashore at the southwest tip of England. The Met Office, the U.K.'s national weather forecaster, warned people to take care.
Residents in northwestern France were also preparing for high winds that national forecaster Meteo-France warned could reach around 90 miles per hour across Brittany, Normandy and Pays de la Loire. Winds of up to 105 miles per hour and waves of almost 33 feet are expected in the country's northwestern tip.
The national train authority, the SNCF, canceled some regional trains in five eastern regions starting late Wednesday night. Fast trains from Paris were eliminating intermediary stops on route to Rennes and several other destinations.
"It's during the calmest moments that we must prepare," Eric Brocardi, spokesman for France's National Federation of Firefighters, said on BFM-TV. He advised residents to stay home, tightly close shutters and equip themselves with emergency kits packed with necessary medication and flashlights in case of electricity failures.
The Brittany and Normandy regions on the English Channel are expected to be hardest hit, along with the Loire-Atlantique region to the south.
The U.K's Met Office issued severe weather warnings for winds of about 80 miles per hour or more in coastal areas on Wednesday night and through Thursday.