School buses cancelled as southwest France braces for more rain
School bus services have been cancelled a storms hit one département in southwest France - with conditions set to remain difficult throughout the day.
Firefighters in the Carcassonne département of Aude - which was formally placed on orange weather alert by forecasters at Météo-France on Tuesday afternoon - have so far reported no significant damage after a night of heavy rainfall.
But emergency services remain on alert with the autumnal storm system set to deposit more rain over the area on Wednesday before it moves away to the east.
So far, more than 144mm of rain has fallen in the area between Durban and Corbières and 133 mm in Coustouge.
To the east of the Corbières’ region, Météo France has recorded between 130 and 150mm of precipitation, and between 70mm to 100mm at stations in Leucate, Sigean and Carcassonne in just three hours early on Wednesday.
According to France’s floods watchdog Vigicrues, several towns in the east and south of the département - Feuilla, Fraissé-des-Corbières, Saint-Jean-de-Barrou, Sigean, Port-la Nouvelle, Peyriac-de- Mer, Narbonne and Gruissan - are bearing the brunt of the rainfall.
It currently has seven yellow flood alerts in the Aude, indicating a ‘Risk of flooding generating overflows and localised damage, or a rapid and dangerous rise in water levels, requiring particular vigilance, particularly in the case of exposed and / or seasonal activities.’
The weather conditions have prompted the Aude préfecture to cancel school bus services on Wednesday around Bassin Versant de la Berre, Bassin Versant de l'Orbieu, and Bassin Versant du Verdouble, and urge residents to exercise caution as they go about their daily activities.
⚠️Suite aux intempéries @prefet11 a pris un arrêté d'interdiction des transports scolaires pour la journée du 24 Novembre 2021 sur les communes des :
- Bassin Versant de la Berre
- Bassin Versant de l'Orbieu
- Bassin Versant du Verdouble
Soyez vigilants, respectez les consignes⤵️ pic.twitter.com/DRSqHnaDkR
— Préfet de l'Aude🇫🇷 (@Prefet11) November 23, 2021
The system has generated significant snowfall at higher altitudes in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Haute-Ariège and Andorra. Up to 1m of snow is forecast in areas exposed to the easterly wind.
La Pierre Saint Martin ❄️
Neige aussi en Béarn 📷Laurent Idieder pic.twitter.com/AHWyThvKI9
— Météo Pyrénées (@Meteo_Pyrenees) November 23, 2021
#pasdelacasa #andorra 📷Romain Minginette pour @Meteo_Pyrenees pic.twitter.com/zgk0Bg9QvZ
— Météo Pyrénées (@Meteo_Pyrenees) November 23, 2021
The rains are expected to intensify between Narbonne and the east of the Montagne Noire on Wednesday, with storms developing as the day progresses. An additional 120mm of precipitation could fall in localised areas during the day before the system moves east towards the Hérault then towards the lower valley of the Rhône and the Paca region on Thursday.
Light to moderate rains will persist in Aude overnight into Thursday.
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Firefighters in the Carcassonne département of Aude - which was formally placed on orange weather alert by forecasters at Météo-France on Tuesday afternoon - have so far reported no significant damage after a night of heavy rainfall.
But emergency services remain on alert with the autumnal storm system set to deposit more rain over the area on Wednesday before it moves away to the east.
So far, more than 144mm of rain has fallen in the area between Durban and Corbières and 133 mm in Coustouge.
To the east of the Corbières’ region, Météo France has recorded between 130 and 150mm of precipitation, and between 70mm to 100mm at stations in Leucate, Sigean and Carcassonne in just three hours early on Wednesday.
According to France’s floods watchdog Vigicrues, several towns in the east and south of the département - Feuilla, Fraissé-des-Corbières, Saint-Jean-de-Barrou, Sigean, Port-la Nouvelle, Peyriac-de- Mer, Narbonne and Gruissan - are bearing the brunt of the rainfall.
It currently has seven yellow flood alerts in the Aude, indicating a ‘Risk of flooding generating overflows and localised damage, or a rapid and dangerous rise in water levels, requiring particular vigilance, particularly in the case of exposed and / or seasonal activities.’
The weather conditions have prompted the Aude préfecture to cancel school bus services on Wednesday around Bassin Versant de la Berre, Bassin Versant de l'Orbieu, and Bassin Versant du Verdouble, and urge residents to exercise caution as they go about their daily activities.
⚠️Suite aux intempéries @prefet11 a pris un arrêté d'interdiction des transports scolaires pour la journée du 24 Novembre 2021 sur les communes des :
— Préfet de l'Aude🇫🇷 (@Prefet11) November 23, 2021
- Bassin Versant de la Berre
- Bassin Versant de l'Orbieu
- Bassin Versant du Verdouble
Soyez vigilants, respectez les consignes⤵️ pic.twitter.com/DRSqHnaDkR
The system has generated significant snowfall at higher altitudes in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Haute-Ariège and Andorra. Up to 1m of snow is forecast in areas exposed to the easterly wind.
La Pierre Saint Martin ❄️
— Météo Pyrénées (@Meteo_Pyrenees) November 23, 2021
Neige aussi en Béarn 📷Laurent Idieder pic.twitter.com/AHWyThvKI9
#pasdelacasa #andorra 📷Romain Minginette pour @Meteo_Pyrenees pic.twitter.com/zgk0Bg9QvZ
— Météo Pyrénées (@Meteo_Pyrenees) November 23, 2021
The rains are expected to intensify between Narbonne and the east of the Montagne Noire on Wednesday, with storms developing as the day progresses. An additional 120mm of precipitation could fall in localised areas during the day before the system moves east towards the Hérault then towards the lower valley of the Rhône and the Paca region on Thursday.
Light to moderate rains will persist in Aude overnight into Thursday.
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