Weather warnings - 28 French départements on alert for storms
Unseasonably high temperatures across much of France early Monday afternoon is set to lead to potentially dangerous thunderstorms later, forecasters have warned.
Temperatures were set to rise into the low 20s on Monday, as forecasters warned that the unseasonably warm weather could lead to intense thunderstorms later in the day.
As of Monday morning, 21 départements had already been placed on the "orange" weather alert, in what will mark the first thunderstorm warning of 2023.
Thunderstorms are expected across a band of France, from the south-west to the north-east of the country between 3pm and 12midnight, as afternoon temperatures rise to 22C in Mulhouse, 23C in Clermont-Ferrand, and 25C in Albi.
In its 12noon update, Meteo France added seven départements - Rhône, Ain, Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Bas-Rhin, Moselle and Meurthe-et-Moselle - to its list of those on orange alert for thunderstorms.
It had earlier put 21 départements on heightened alert: Ariège, Haute-Garonne, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne, Aveyron, Lot, Cantal, Corrèze, Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Allier, Saône-et-Loire, Nièvre, Jura, Côte-d'Or, Doubs, Haute-Saône, Territoire de Belfort, Haute-Marne, Vosges and Haut-Rhin.
🔶 28 départements en Orange pic.twitter.com/jndduCWTyX
— VigiMétéoFrance (@VigiMeteoFrance) March 13, 2023
Forecasters warned of hail and strong winds as well as electrical activity and heavy rain, and said that today’s storms, following on from recent rains could saturate the soil in certain regions, leading to localised flooding - notably between the south-west, Limousin and the west of the Massif Central, as well as in Lorraine.
It is highly unusual for orange thunderstorm alerts - the second highest weather warning level - to be issued so early in the year. Météo France said that there are “still uncertainties about the intensity of the strongest storms and their extension”, indicating that the number of départements on an orange warning could increase as the day progresses.
⛈️ Plusieurs cellules orageuses observées au nord de #Dijon.
📸@_smrd pic.twitter.com/9fRa6hgLjz
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) March 13, 2023
A further 61 départements are on yellow vigilance - the level below orange - as of Monday morning for storms, wind, or avalanches, according to Météo France’s early bulletin.
Pending further updates, Météo France's alert will remain in force until midnight.
From the early hours of Tuesday, gale-force winds are expected in the north-west of the country, with gusts exceeding 80km/h inland and more than 100km/h on the coast - though the conditions are not expected to be as severe as last week, when storm Larisa lashed large parts of the country.
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Temperatures were set to rise into the low 20s on Monday, as forecasters warned that the unseasonably warm weather could lead to intense thunderstorms later in the day.
As of Monday morning, 21 départements had already been placed on the "orange" weather alert, in what will mark the first thunderstorm warning of 2023.
Thunderstorms are expected across a band of France, from the south-west to the north-east of the country between 3pm and 12midnight, as afternoon temperatures rise to 22C in Mulhouse, 23C in Clermont-Ferrand, and 25C in Albi.
In its 12noon update, Meteo France added seven départements - Rhône, Ain, Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Bas-Rhin, Moselle and Meurthe-et-Moselle - to its list of those on orange alert for thunderstorms.
It had earlier put 21 départements on heightened alert: Ariège, Haute-Garonne, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne, Aveyron, Lot, Cantal, Corrèze, Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, Allier, Saône-et-Loire, Nièvre, Jura, Côte-d'Or, Doubs, Haute-Saône, Territoire de Belfort, Haute-Marne, Vosges and Haut-Rhin.
🔶 28 départements en Orange pic.twitter.com/jndduCWTyX
— VigiMétéoFrance (@VigiMeteoFrance) March 13, 2023
Forecasters warned of hail and strong winds as well as electrical activity and heavy rain, and said that today’s storms, following on from recent rains could saturate the soil in certain regions, leading to localised flooding - notably between the south-west, Limousin and the west of the Massif Central, as well as in Lorraine.
It is highly unusual for orange thunderstorm alerts - the second highest weather warning level - to be issued so early in the year. Météo France said that there are “still uncertainties about the intensity of the strongest storms and their extension”, indicating that the number of départements on an orange warning could increase as the day progresses.
⛈️ Plusieurs cellules orageuses observées au nord de #Dijon.
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) March 13, 2023
📸@_smrd pic.twitter.com/9fRa6hgLjz
A further 61 départements are on yellow vigilance - the level below orange - as of Monday morning for storms, wind, or avalanches, according to Météo France’s early bulletin.
Pending further updates, Météo France's alert will remain in force until midnight.
From the early hours of Tuesday, gale-force winds are expected in the north-west of the country, with gusts exceeding 80km/h inland and more than 100km/h on the coast - though the conditions are not expected to be as severe as last week, when storm Larisa lashed large parts of the country.
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