The Windy Chronicles: Storm Bert’s Whirlwind Tour of France
Hold onto your berets, ladies and gentlemen! The wind is making quite the entrance in France, courtesy of our blustery friend, Storm Bert. This Monday, various regions are experiencing wind gusts that could put a blender to shame! Yes, we’re talking ‘gale force’ levels of wind that could have your local French bakery flying away like the last croissant at a buffet. Météo France has even placed several departments in the center-east on orange alert (level 3 out of 4). Now that’s not just a light breeze; that’s Mother Nature throwing a tantrum!
In the Rhône and northern Isère, the gusts are so strong they’re pushing the limits—exceeding 120 km/h and even shooting up to 130 km/h! And if you think that’s impressive, the Lyon-Saint-Exupéry station clocked an astonishing 113 km/h; a record for November! Wind speeds like this are what you’d want if you were running a wind turbine business—though we’re not sure it would be great for hair gel sales this week!
⚠️🟠🌬️ Impressive gusts of wind this midday in Nord-Isère and the Lyonnais basin!!
▪️112 km/h in Bourgoin-Jallieu.
▪️113 km/h in Lyon/St-Exupéry.
▪️123 km/h in Lyon Bron.
▪️137 km/h at the Bron-Parilly racecourse. 1/2
And speaking of records, let’s not overlook Clermont-Ferrand where the wind reached a swift 111 km/h—surely a wise move for anyone trying to holiday in the woods. As the storm rages on, it was reported that the wind in Saint-Étienne reached a sheer 116 km/h. It’s like the weather is entering a “who can blow harder” competition—jackets zipped up tight, everyone!
But wait, in true storm-style fashion, the wind didn’t just blow through—oh no, it brought some drama along too! Trees toppled over like plastic cups at a raucous party in Décines-Charpieu, and there are even tales of road closures, with reported falling electricity poles on the D51. This is where you’d say, “Don’t go chasing trees,” but it looks like some people didn’t get the memo. The Rhône firefighters have jumped into action over a hundred times already! No injuries reported yet, which is as lucky as finding change in your couch after a night out.
Alas, amid all this bluster, at least one high school—Beltrame High School in Meyzieu—has decided to call it a day and close for the afternoon. It’s a bit like school in the 90s—overreacting to the hint of snow but instead, we’re dodging tumbleweed and treetops!
But wait, there is hope on the horizon, as Météo France assures us that the wind will calm down soon. “These winds weaken during the afternoon over the Pyrenees, then the Massif Central,” they assure us. So in just a few hours, we might all be able to breathe a little easier—unless, of course, you live near a fan store, in which case, *may the odds be ever in your favour*!
So, buckle down, France! Storm Bert might be a turbulent visitor, but let’s hope he leaves before dinner. And if he doesn’t, well, let’s just hope he doesn’t take the last piece of baguette!
Le vent souffle avec une intensité remarquable dans plusieurs régions de France ce lundi. Le pays se retrouve en bordure de la tempête Bert, qui entraîne des rafales puissantes, atteignant parfois des niveaux records pour la saison dans certaines zones. Météo France a par ailleurs placé plusieurs départements du centre-est du pays en alerte orange (niveau 3 sur 4) en raison de la force du vent.
Les rafales les plus violentes ont été enregistrées dans le Rhône ainsi que dans le nord de l’Isère, dépassant localement les 120 km/h et atteignant même 130 km/h. À la station Lyon-Saint-Exupéry, une rafale mesurée à 113 km/h constitue un record pour le mois de novembre. Entre 10 h et 13 h, des vitesses supérieures à 100 km/h ont été observées à plusieurs reprises. La rafale enregistrée à Lyon-Bron, à 123,5 km/h, est également une première. De plus, le champ de courses de Bron-Parilly a été frappé par une rafale atteignant les 137 km/h.
⚠️🟠🌬️ Des rafales impressionnantes ont été enregistrées ce midi dans le Nord-Isère et le bassin lyonnais !!
▪️112 km/h à Bourgoin-Jallieu.
▪️113 km/h à Lyon/St-Exupéry.
▪️123 km/h à Lyon Bron.
▪️137 km/h au champ de courses de Bron-Parilly. 1/2— Météo Centre-Isère (@MeteoIsere) 25 novembre 2024
110 km/h a également été dépassé dans le Puy-de-Dôme, avec 111 km/h enregistrés à Clermont-Ferrand. À Saint-Étienne (Loire), le vent a soufflé à 116 km/h.
Cette situation a causé certains dégâts. À Décines-Charpieu, plusieurs arbres se sont abattus sous la force du vent.
Le journal Le Progrès fait état de la fermeture de plusieurs routes, comme la D51, où des poteaux électriques se sont effondrés. Les pompiers du Rhône ont déjà été appelés à intervenir une centaine de fois au milieu de la journée, sans faire état de blessés. Le lycée Beltrame, à Meyzieu, est fermé pour l’après-midi. Des accidents de la route, causés par les mauvaises conditions météorologiques, ont été signalés.
La situation devrait se calmer dans les heures à venir. Selon Météo France, “ces vents faiblissent dans l’après-midi sur les Pyrénées, puis le Massif central, et à la fin de l’après-midi du côté de Lyon et de la vallée du Gier, ainsi que vers la Saône-et-Loire”.
How do the wind gusts from Storm Bert compare to average wind speeds experienced in France during November?
**Interview Title: The Windy Chronicles: Analyzing Storm Bert’s Impact on France**
**Interviewer:** Welcome to today’s segment! Joining us is meteorologist Dr. Claire Dupuis. Claire, thank you for taking the time amidst all the excitement of Storm Bert!
**Dr. Dupuis:** Thank you for having me! It’s certainly been a wild day for weather in France.
**Interviewer:** Absolutely! Could you start by giving us a sense of how significant the wind gusts from Storm Bert are compared to typical weather patterns in November?
**Dr. Dupuis:** Certainly! This storm is quite exceptional for November. Typically, we might see gusts reaching 50-70 km/h, but now we’re recording speeds well over 120 km/h in places like the Rhône and northern Isère. A specific record of 137 km/h at Bron-Parilly is remarkable and very rare for this time of year.
**Interviewer:** That’s incredible! With such powerful winds, what kind of damage are you seeing reported?
**Dr. Dupuis:** We’ve already seen fallen trees in Décines-Charpieu and some road closures due to electricity poles being knocked down. The emergency services, particularly the Rhône firefighters, have responded to over a hundred incidents just today. Thankfully, there have been no serious injuries reported.
**Interviewer:** It sounds intense! The alert levels from Météo France are quite high too. Can you explain what the orange alert means for residents?
**Dr. Dupuis:** The orange alert indicates that conditions pose a risk and that people should exercise caution. Level 3 out of 4 means that strong winds can lead to dangerous situations, so it’s recommended to stay indoors if possible, secure outdoor items, and be prepared for potential disruptions.
**Interviewer:** Not exactly the ideal conditions for a leisurely walk with a baguette, then! Speaking of bread, do you foresee any disruption to everyday life as a result of this storm?
**Dr. Dupuis:** Certainly! We’ve already seen schools closing, like Beltrame High School, which is a precautionary measure. In terms of logistics, local deliveries might be impacted, so yes, keep those baguettes secure!
**Interviewer:** And for those who might be stressing about getting through the day, is there any good news on the horizon?
**Dr. Dupuis:** Yes! Météo France has indicated that the winds should begin to weaken later this afternoon, particularly over the Pyrenees and the Massif Central. So, we can expect a return to calmer conditions, hopefully, before dinner.
**Interviewer:** Thank you so much, Claire. It sounds like Storm Bert is making its mark, but hopefully, it will soon be a distant memory.
**Dr. Dupuis:** Thank you! Stay safe everyone, and don’t forget to hold on tight to those berets!
**Interviewer:** Wise advice! That concludes our segment on Storm Bert. Stay tuned for more updates as the situation develops!
