Around 380,000 households in France were without power on Friday morning as Storm Goretti swept through northern Europe with fierce winds.
The vast majority of the affected households were in the northern Normandy region, the Enedis power provider said in a statement, with residents also affected in Brittany, Picardy and the Ile-de-France region around Paris.
Forecasters had issued weather warnings ahead of Storm Goretti, urging people to stay inside their homes.
Overnight, a wind gust of 213 kilometres per hour (132 miles) was registered in France's northwestern Manche region, authorities said.
"Take shelter and do not use your vehicle," the Manche prefecture warned on X, urging residents to prepare emergency lighting and a drinking water supply.
Britain's Met Office also issued a "rare" red wind warning for the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall in southwestern England – its highest level of alert.
"Exceptionally strong winds" of up to 160 kilometres (100 miles) per hour were expected, it said, warning that "very large waves will bring dangerous conditions to coastal areas".
It also issued an amber snow warning in Wales, central England and parts of northern England, predicting snow of up to 30 centimetres (11 inches) in some areas.
The UK's National Rail has said train services will be affected over the next two days, and called on people to avoid travel unless necessary.
Travel disruption
Europe's current extreme weather conditions have caused at least eight deaths, and on Thursday police in the Albanian city of Durres pulled a man's body from floodwater following days of heavy snow and torrential rain across the Balkans.
Read moreIn pictures: Rare heavy snowfall blankets Paris streets and monuments
In Germany, heavy snow and winds in the north were set to affect schools, hospitals and transport links.
Up to 15 centimetres of snow (six inches) could fall in the north, and there was a risk of icy conditions in the south, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).
Temperatures this weekend could plunge to as low as -20C in certain areas, DWD meteorologist Andreas Walter told AFP.
Some areas have announced schools would be shut on Friday, including in the northern cities of Hamburg and Bremen.
In Hamburg, the weather had already caused delays and cancellations on the public transport network on Thursday.
The national rail company Deutsche Bahn warned of significant delays in the coming days and has mobilised more than 14,000 employees to clear snow from tracks and platforms.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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