trains and events canceled this weekend

Several departments in the region are placed on yellow alert for strong winds, the Channel will be orange on Sunday December 22, 2024. Gusts of up to 120 or even 130 km/h are expected on the tip of Cotentin. Trains and events will be canceled or postponed this weekend of December 20 and 21 in Normandy. We take stock.

The wind will blow this weekend in Normandy. Saturday December 21, three departments are placed on strong wind yellow vigilance. These are Eure, since 6 a.m. this morning, Manche, from 5 p.m., and Seine-Maritime, from 7 p.m.

A gale gale warning for the Channel North Sea coast is forecast until Monday morning. The winds will be from the southwest force 7 on Saturday and will turn northwest during the night from Saturday to Sunday, freshening to force 8 on Sunday during the day with strong gusts.

The yellow alert could be extended tomorrow. “In connection with the circulation of a depression over the North Sea, a strong gale is expected during Sunday afternoon,” indicates the Vigilance Météo website.

The Channel has been placed on orange alert for Sunday by Météo France. “The Enol depression in the North Sea will be the cause of a strong winter disturbance on Sunday. Violent gusts of wind on the Channel coast”, continues Vigilance Météo.

“Associated with frequent showers, sometimes stormy and accompanied by sleet, these squalls could reach 120 km/h or even 130 km/h locally on the coast, and around 100 km/h inland.”

Faced with this risk of gusts and in order to guarantee the safety of travelers and staff, SNCF Réseau has decided to suspend rail traffic for the days of Sunday December 22, 2024 and Monday December 23, 2024 on part of the Normandy railway network. The areas concerned are as follows:

• Caen-Cherbourg: no traffic between 12 p.m. and until the end of service Sunday December 22, 2024
• Caen-Granville : no traffic all day from Sunday December 22, 2024 until 12 p.m. Monday December 23, 2024
• Folligny <> Dol : no traffic for the whole day from Sunday 22 until Monday 12 p.m.

The normal resumption of traffic, envisaged for Monday December 23, 2024 morning on the Caen – Cherbourg axis and Monday December 23, 2024 12 p.m. on the Caen – Granville axis, will depend on the impacts of the storm on the tracks.

“As soon as there is a lull, the SNCF teams plan for reconnaissance trains to pass through, in order to ensure that there are no obstacles on the tracks, before any resumption of traffic”specifies the SNCF in a press release.

“In the event of the presence of trees and branches, the teams of SNCF Réseau lumberjacks present on board these reconnaissance trains will have the mission of clearing the tracks.”

Faced with the risk of strong gusts, prefectures and municipalities have decided to cancel or postpone certain events as a precaution.

In Vire (Calvados), the annual fireworks show on the Porte-Horlogescheduled for this Saturday, December 21, 2024, is postponed to Thursday, December 26 at 8 p.m. “The weather does not allow the organization of the conflagration in optimal safety conditions”specifies the municipality.

The Agon-Coutainville Christmas bath scheduled for Sunday December 22 is also postponed.

Part of the Alençon Christmas marketwhich is normally outdoors, is moved to the wheat market. “As a preventive measure, the stalls under barnums have been transferred to the wheat market. The festivities, strolls in town on Saturday afternoon, evening show at 7:30 p.m. and concerts on Sunday are maintained if the wind gusts do not exceed the 105 km/h, which will be the case according to Météo France which announces a wind of no more than 30 km/h”, indicates Joaquim Pueyo, mayor of Alençon.

Also in Alençon, parks and gardens will be closed this Sunday.

The maritime prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea recalls the precautionary measures to be adopted in the event of a weather alert, to avoid secondary accidents which could lead to delicate interventions on the part of the emergency resources coordinated by the Regional Operational Surveillance and Rescue Centers (CROSS) Jobourg and Gris-Nez.

It is therefore important to pay attention to the special weather bulletins (BMS) and wave-submersion alerts issued by Météo France. During these various alerts, it is recommended to postpone trips to the sea, not to check your anchorage during the alert but to do so before and after or to pay attention to messages from the department prefectures concerning travel on along the coastline.

Finally, it is recommended that boat owners contact the managers of mooring areas and light equipment to find out what action to take to secure their property, and thus facilitate the coordination of actions.