Severe Storms Batter Northern Europe, Flights Canceled, Power Outages Affect Hundreds of Thousands

CHERBOURG, France: Gale-force winds and powerful storms swept across northern Europe on Friday, severely disrupting air and rail travel while cutting electricity to hundreds of thousands amid freezing temperatures.

At least 50 flights were canceled at London’s Heathrow Airport, affecting thousands of passengers, while air travel disruptions were reported across Europe from the Czech Republic to Moscow. Rail services were also hit hard, with all trains canceled in Cornwall, southwestern England.

Weather agencies from Britain to Germany urged residents to stay indoors, issuing severe warnings including a rare red wind alert for the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall. The UK’s National Grid said around 57,000 homes remained without power after Storm Goretti brought heavy snow and strong winds overnight.

More than 250 schools were closed across Scotland, while in France, power outages affected approximately 380,000 homes, mainly in the northern Normandy region, according to electricity provider Enedis. Authorities reported wind gusts reaching up to 216 kilometers per hour in France’s Manche region, uprooting trees and damaging buildings.

In England and Wales, gusts of up to 160 kph were recorded, with meteorologists warning of dangerous coastal conditions and very large waves. Snowfall of up to 30 centimeters was forecast in parts of Wales and northern England.

The extreme weather has claimed more than 10 lives across Europe this week. Turkish media reported five deaths in weather-related incidents, including falling debris, collapsing walls, and storm-related accidents at sea.

Storm-related disruptions extended to Germany, where schools were closed in Hamburg and Bremen and long-distance rail services suspended. In Moldova, around 600 schools were shut, while Romania reported power outages affecting nearly 1,000 homes. Floodwaters began to recede in parts of the Balkans following earlier evacuations and fatalities caused by heavy snowfall and torrential rain.