Storm Ciarán, known in Germany as Storm Emir was a European windstorm that severely affected parts of Europe from late October to early November 2023. Part of the 2023–24 European windstorm season, Ciarán impacted northwestern Europe and killed 21 people, eleven of whom were in Italy and four in France. It also caused mass disruption to transport. Widespread damage from 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) winds were reported in the Channel Islands, while 1.2 million French households were left without electricity.
Prelude Storm Ciarán was named by the United Kingdom's Met Office on 29 October, while the Free University of Berlin in Germany named the system Emir on 30 October. It was expected to bring winds of 90 to 120 km/h (60 to 70 mph) widely with >130 km/h (>80 mph) on some coasts. More heavy rainfall was expected to fall which would exacerbate the flooding from Storm Babet a week prior. The Met Office's long-range forecast stated that Storm Ciarán would move away on 3 November, with many places still with blistering winds and rain spells. The Channel Islands were due to be hit with gusts around 95 mph (153 km/h) with schools closed and a red weather warning in place. On 1 November, this was updated to a Force 11 violent storm, with the Met Office stating that Storm Ciarán was undergoing explosive cyclogenesis. The storm would impact the Netherlands on 2 November. The storm especially affected the Isle of Jersey, where a strong thunderstorm formed a tornado alongside the golf ball sized hail with windspeeds of the storm reaching over 100 mph (160 km/h).
The event
A large yellow weather warning for rain and wind in place for the South Wales, Devon and Cornwall, south coast and the east coast of East Anglia. In Cornwall, 4,000 properties were left without power. In Devon, 250 schools were closed. In Dorset, the Freshwater Beach Holiday Park at Burton Bradstock was destroyed. Other places in Dorset affected included Loders, Easton and West Bay. A caravan park at Tenby in Wales was evacuated due to flooding. Moyles Court School in the New Forest was closed due to flooding. The southern coast of England and France were severely affected by the storm, with record wind gusts in France being reported around 129 mph (208 km/h). The storm also caused flooding and huge waves. In the Netherlands, an orange weather warning was given for the coastal provinces for high winds. Events were cancelled, including at the last-minute the Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships. There was disruption due to cancelled flights and trains. People were advised to work at home, and to not drive unnecessarily. The Dutch Railways adjusted the timetable with fewer trains. Twenty-one people were killed during the storm, including: a 46-year-old woman who died in Germany when a tree fell on her. A 5-year-old child and a 64-year-old woman were killed by falling trees in Belgium. A 23-year-old woman died in Madrid, Spain. In Venray, the Netherlands, a person was killed when a tree fell on their car. On 3 November, a man was killed inside his vehicle in Albania. In France, a truck driver was killed by a falling tree, a 72-year-old man was blown off his balcony, a 43-year-old died after being swept away by a wave, while a 46-year-old technician was killed on 4 November while trying to restore electricity to homes. Eight people were killed during heavy rains in the region of Tuscany, Italy, with rivers flooding and causing damage. Several roads and highways were closed amid landslides. Floods also occurred in the region of Veneto, with a 40-year-old man being killed after falling from the Corno d'Acquilio mountain, while a 44-year-old man was killed in Belluno. Severe damage also occurred in Campobasso and other areas of Molise, as well as in Abruzzo and the Rome area; emergency measures were also taken in Campania. In Sardinia, strong winds fueled fires that burned hectares of vegetation, while a man was killed in Capoterra while battling fires, and an entire sawmill burned down in Tortolì. The Jersey Zoo announced that one of their Chilean flamingos had been killed by the storm, but all the other animals had been accounted for. They further stated that the zoo would be closed until 6 November 2023, so any remaining debris could be cleared. In total, there were more than 1 million people without power, and in Cornwall around 4,000 properties were left without power. Damage assessed by PERLIS was finalized at €2.067 billion (US$2.22 billion), while the damage in France alone reached €1.772 billion (US$1.9 billion).
Highest wind gust per country
Tornado outbreak Storm Ciarán spawned 9 tornadoes across Europe.
Aftermath A day after the storm there were still problems in the Netherlands. Several polders and gardens were flooded, including an apartment complex in Breda that has been evacuated due to flooding. The storm caused damage of more than €15 million in the Netherlands.
See also Tornadoes of 2023 Great Storm of 1987 Braer Storm (1993) – the most intense European windstorm ever recorded; also underwent explosive cyclogenesis Cyclone Carmen (2010) Storm Dennis (2020)
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