Panic on the Côte Fleurie in Calvados.
At the end of the day, this Saturday, huge gusts of wind surprised many residents who were taking advantage, in the heat wave, of milder temperatures in Normandy.
While the mercury had exceeded 30°C during the day, it dropped nearly 15 degrees in a few minutes.
Along the entire coast, the sky quickly darkened and the sand heaved up.
Some even think they are witnessing tornadoes.
Storms and gusts of wind were observed in Deauville, Villers-sur-Mer, Ouistreham, Trouville and even as far as Le Havre.
Testimonials on social media, sometimes accompanied by videos, show people struggling against the wind to hold back their beach towels, umbrellas and other belongings.
Trees were uprooted.
Big storm in #trouville a few minutes ago #normandy #deauville #Canicule2022 pic.twitter.com/s6vnp1KnUg
— Geny 👡🦦🍂 (@xxjennyxx998) June 18, 2022
Luc and Mathilde, a young couple seated in a restaurant in the port of Honfleur, saw particles of “sand and wood” invade their plate.
“The sky darkened within minutes.
The sand was flying 5 or 6 m high, while there is no beach there, they are surprised with the Parisian.
We took shelter, the traders brought people inside.
There were gusts at 90 km/h.
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The 36th edition of the Cabourg film saw its awards ceremony disrupted, reports Ouest-France.
Around 8:30 p.m., the wind and sand blew the barriers and forced the organizers and the police to evacuate the red carpet.
Our colleagues even mention a "mini-tornado".
It was impressive from the inside too pic.twitter.com/Z2vkx8a72a
— Lea Faytre (@leaf75016) June 18, 2022
A phenomenon of sudden wind (temperature drop in about twenty minutes), cold and wet that had experienced a little earlier in the evening the Basque Country.
The galerne, meteorological name used by Météo France, is a phenomenon which is characterized in particular by a sudden drop in temperature (from 12 to 15°C), a rapid rise in humidity (around 85 or even 90%) and a rotation "violent" wind associated with a "sudden increase" in its speed, all "almost simultaneously and in a few minutes".
According to the forecasts of Météo France, "punctual thunderstorms were expected on the western facade, starting in the South-West and going up towards Normandy, some of these thunderstorms could prove to be quite strong, accompanied by a few gusts of wind and especially 'high electrical activity'.
The public meteorological establishment predicts a rainy-stormy degradation, more frank and more organized, expected for this Sunday evening.
The heat wave will gradually decrease, to no longer concern only the eastern flank of the country.
