Overview
- A coup de galerne swept Hendaye beach on Sunday, 12 July 2026, producing a rolling cloud, violent gusts and a roughly 30-minute episode that sent beachgoers running.
- Temperature readings fell from about 37°C to 25°C in roughly half an hour while gusts were reported near 70 km/h, with parasols and inflatables blown inland.
- Forecasters explained the event as a sharp intrusion of cooler, humid Atlantic air into very hot coastal air, a clash intensified by the current heatwave and local coastal geography.
- Locals and meteorologists say coups de galerne are a recurring Basque-coast phenomenon from May to October and tend to occur more often during heatwaves.
- No major injuries or widespread damage were reported and calm returned by the next morning, but experts warn that heat-driven thermal contrasts will raise the chance of similar sudden wind shifts.