South-west France on alert with winds of up to 120km/h forecast
Parts of the France's southern Occitanie region have already seen an uptick in windspeeds, as the second 'Autan Noir' of the month batters the area.
The 'Autan Noir' - a weather episode bringing high winds - is common to south-west France.
As of Wednesday,
France's national weather service
Météo France
had placed
four south-western départements (Aveyron, Tarn, Haute-Garonne and Aude) on the lowest-level of warning (yellow) for high winds, with gusts expected to reach 85km/h.
The gales were expected to pick up from Thursday, and
Météo France
issued orange weather warnings – the
second-highest alert
level – for the Haute-Garonne and Tarn départements. This alert was set to come into effect on Thursday evening (starting at 9pm) and last into Friday.
Meanwhile, five neighbouring départements (Aveyron, Aude, Ariège, Hautes-Pyrénées, and Pyrénées Atlantiques) were set to stay on the yellow warning on Thursday.
Winds are forecast to reach 100km/h to 110km/h in certain areas, and even 120 km/h at the foot of the Montagne Noire, in the Lauragais and Castres regions.
Advertisement
Gusts of up to 100km/h are also expected at the edge of the Toulouse metropolitan area.
The Autan Noir is often a precursor to rains and storms in southwest France. One deadly storm has already wreaked havoc in Spain. Torrential rains, particularly in the south of the country, led to significant flooding.
Meanwhile, Storm Martinho is expected to reach France on Friday, bringing rain and thunderstorms from the west.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Local France
3 days ago
- Local France
Heatwave and thunderstorm warnings issued in France on Thursday
French weather service Météo France on Thursday issued its first level of warning (yellow) for intense heat in four central French départements. After storms hit south-west France on Wednesday, the French weather service also warned of thunderstorms in another 30 départements across much of western France, from Normandy and Brittany to Nouvelle-Aquitaine on Thursday. With 'violent gusts' of wind expected, Météo France advised that several départements may shift to the 'orange' (second-highest) weather warning later in the morning. A screenshot from Météo France on Thursday, June 12th. Hot temperatures The French government's weather warnings range from yellow (be aware) to red (potential risk to life) during heatwaves. Typically, heatwave (or canicule) warnings begin with the orange warning level, whereas yellow warnings reference a pic de chaleur , or period of intense heat. Advertisement Nevertheless, it is important to remain vigilant, drink water and stay in cool areas. Explained: How France's weather warning system works The départements on the 'yellow' heat warning as of Thursday morning were Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal, and Isère. Temperatures were expected to reach 30C in Paris, Toulouse, Ajaccio, Gap and Belfort on Thursday afternoon, while Lyon was expected to hit 33C. Meanwhile, western France was expected to see temperatures closer to seasonal norms, with 24C expected in Rennes and Nantes, and 19C in Brest. On Friday, temperatures were also expected to remain elevated across much of the country. Thunderstorms With hot and cool air colliding, thunderstorms were expected on Thursday morning along the western coast, and later in the afternoon, storms were expected to move east, with local thunderstorms forecast in central and eastern France. On Friday, forecasters warned of continued stormy conditions in north-western France, with intense rain and hail in some locations. Gusts could reach up to 80-90km/h, L'Internaute reported.
Local France
03-06-2025
- Local France
Eastern France placed on weather alert for severe thunderstorms
Nine French départements were placed on the second-highest weather warning - the 'orange' alert - on Tuesday by French national weather service, Météo France, for thunderstorms. Météo France map with weather warnings, on Tuesday June 3rd. After thunderstorms hit parts of central and eastern France on Sunday and Monday, more intense weather was expected on Tuesday for the départements of Saône-et-Loire, Jura, Ain, Rhône, Loire, Allier, Haute-Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, and Cantal. Storms were expected to hit Tuesday afternoon, from 2pm, and into the evening, with forecasters warning that they could be accompanied by hail, wind gusts of up to 80 to 100 km/h and intense rainfall of 20 to 40mm in one to three hours. Parts of south-west France may also see thunderstorms and rain too, albeit later in the evening as storms arrive. As such, Météo France may list some départements in the Occitanie region on alert later in the day. You can keep up with French weather alerts on the website. Advertisement READ MORE: Explained: How France's weather warning system works What about Wednesday? Forecasters warned that thunderstorms could hit the south-east on Wednesday, while the rest of the country was expected to see mixed weather, with some light rain in north-western France in Brest and Cherbourg, to sunshine from the Loire Valley to the Ardennes (including the Paris region).
Local France
28-05-2025
- Local France
Forecasters predict scorching French summer
Giving accurate predictions about the weather more than a few days in advance, is a notable fool's errand. That, however, doesn't stop national forecaster Météo-France issuing a three-month forecast for the highly anticipated June-July-August period, a few days before the official start of meteorological summer. The forecaster makes it clear that its predictions are based on trends and are based on averages for the summer months, rather than being able to predict specific hot days or period of canicule (heatwave). MAP: The 5 worst French cities to be in during a heatwave And we're most likely in for a 'warmer than normal' summer in France in 2025, particularly in Corsica, Météo-France said. According to the numbers, there's a 50 percent chance that June, July and August will see above average temperatures, compared to a 20 percent chance that the next three months will be cooler than usual. Advertisement This is uncannily similar to the long-term forecast for summer 2024. History, however, records people in northern France wondering what had happened to the sun in the early part of the season, plus a memorable Olympic Games opening ceremony in a July rainstorm. Nevertheless, Météo-France indicates that the chances of a scorchio summer 2025 are higher still in Corsica, where forecasters say the chances of a hotter-than-usual summer are 60 percent. A cool summer on the île de beauté is a 10 percent likelihood. As for rainfall this summer, anything goes. The probability of a drier than normal summer is set at 33 percent, the same as for 'normal' or 'wetter' than normal weather. Now, the scientific caution bit: while these forecasts remain probabilities, they nevertheless attempt to 'determine the expected average trends for the quarter,' according to Météo France. 'Temperature can be considered globally for the season, but a specific event lasting between a few days and a few weeks can only be anticipated a few days in advance,' it said. That's boffin for: it's too early to predict heatwaves, storms, or any actual weather. These figures are probabilities 'mainly associated with the trend of climate change in Europe,' reports Météo France. The Mediterranean basin is more likely to be a summer heat hotspot, but, 'occasional cooler spells cannot be ruled out.' The next couple of days in France may offer a brief early preview of things to come then – with temperatures in the south-west of France expected to soar to between 30C and 35C on Friday. They could reach 29C in Paris, with thunderstorms, particularly in the south, predicted on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon before spreading across large parts of the country on Sunday.
