THUNDERSTORMS. Corsica was placed in orange vigilance in emergency by Météo France this Thursday, August 18 when the gusts of wind exceed 200 km / h. Storms have already killed two people after a tree fell. The Pyrénées-Atlantiques are also on orange alert for storms and floods.
The essential
- This Thursday, August 18, 2022 more than three departments are placed in orange vigilance for thunderstorms: Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud. The island was put on alert at 9 a.m. this morning by Météo France.
- Storms in Corsica left one dead and one injured this morning in a campsite after a tree fell.
- Torrential rains fall on the Basque country and Corsica. In the Basque country the risk of flooding is feared while on the island of beauty it is the gusts of wind ranging from 130 to 225 km / h that are worrying.
- Corsica is placed in orange vigilance at least until the end of the morning according to the meteorological institute.
- Stormy showers are still in place over the eastern half of France, particularly in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, but without reaching the intensity levels of the previous day.
- Follow the latest weather forecast in this live.
Live
09:45 – Gusts over 200 km / h in Corsica
According to a Corsican student and witness for BFM TV, thunderstorms have been hitting Corsica since 8 a.m. this morning in Ajaccio and by extension on the whole island. In Ajaccio the winds are around 130 to 150 km/h, especially near the airport. But elsewhere on the island, particularly in Calvi or Île Rousse, the winds exceed 200 km/h. Under the violence of the gusts of the roofs were torn off and Météo France calls for the greatest vigilance. The wind speed is extraordinary in its violence, similar to what could be observed during a category 3 hurricane.
09:36 – Orange vigilance in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Before Corsica went into orange vigilance, the alert level only concerned the Pyrénées-Atlantiques where storms strike and floods are feared. Météo France indicates that “the accumulations of rain for the last 12 hours are often between 30 and 60 mm” and that “on the south of the Basque coast, gusts of wind from the west to the northwest of 60 to 70 km / h”.
09:30 – One dead and one injured in storms in Corsica
The very violent stormy episode affecting Corsica claimed two victims this Thursday, August 17. One person died after a tree fell due to thunderstorms and another person was injured.
09:20 – The orange alert in place until the end of the morning in Corsica according to Météo France
Storm vigilance for storms was not planned in Corsica but given the direction of the weather and the gusts of wind, the alert was decided urgently by the meteorological institute. Winds blow at 225 km/h in Marignana, 197 km/h in Calvi and more than 130 km/h over most of the island. It is strongly advised to stay safe at home. Vigilance is planned at least until 11 a.m. according to Météo France.
09:08 – Corsica placed in orange vigilance
Corsica until now in yellow vigilance has just been placed on orange alert by Météo France in the face of the violence of the storms observed this morning. On the island of beauty, the rains are torrential and the gusts of wind blow at 130 km/h but go up to 220 km/h in Marignana in Corse-du-Sud.
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There are only three departments left to be placed on orange vigilance for thunderstorms this Thursday, August 18, 2022: Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud. In these territories, rainfall is torrential and leads to the risk of flooding, particularly in the Basque country. In Corsica, more than the floods, it is the winds and gusts of more than 200 km/h in places that raise fears of damage. Elsewhere, thundery showers are still in place in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes but more widely than the eastern half of the country. Still, the rains are less violent than those of the day before. In Corsica, Météo France believes that orange vigilance decided at the last minute is required until the end of the morning.
The Pyrénées-Atlantiques are the only department to be plagued by possible floods on August 18. Yesterday several floods and mudslides were observed in the territories on orange alert, in particular the Bouches-du-Rhône, the Hérault and the Rhône valley. The images of the runoff are impressive, like those of the Old Port of Marseille or between Saint-Etienne and Lyon, where rail traffic was interrupted because of the water. The floods are the consequence of torrential rains which follow the episode of drought and run off without being able to penetrate the soil.
Images of violent storms abound and several amateur videos show the violence of the rains. In Marseille, on Wednesday August 17, the Old Port was under water after a night of showers. In Montpellier also the storms and the rains were impressive while in Hyères near Toulon it was the size of the hailstones that challenged.