The heat wave is ending but between Monday and Wednesday, storms will cross the country from west to east. Here’s where they should be most violent.
France experienced an exceptional heat wave for the season, but things are changing quickly as violent thunderstorms threaten several regions. This heat wave, which started several days ago, ends Monday afternoon, leaving behind record temperatures and a heavy night in the departments on alert, particularly in the Paris region. This heat wave was remarkable for its extent, duration and intensity, ranking second only to that of September 1911 in terms of severity.
However, the end of the heat does not mean calm weather. Between Monday and Wednesday, storms will cross the country from west to east. These storms, although welcome to cool the atmosphere, could be accompanied by violent phenomena, such as hail, intense rains and gusts of wind reaching more than 80 km/h. As a result, a storm warning was issued, mainly affecting regions from the Atlantic to central France, between Monday and Wednesday. It should be noted that this alert could be extended to other regions in future updates.
More in detail for thunderstorms, from Monday afternoon, a major rainy-stormy degradation is taking place between the Atlantic regions and heading towards Normandy, the Paris region, Hauts-de-France and Champagne- Ardenne in the evening and at night from Monday to Tuesday. On Tuesday, very stormy weather spread across three quarters of the country, with the exception of the northwest, PACA and Corsica. These storms could be accompanied by intense rain, risks of hail and sudden gusts of wind. It should be noted that hot air persists on the eastern flank of France, from the Alps to Alsace, before the late arrival of storms. On Wednesday, the disturbance will move east of the Rhône and the Saône, causing intense stormy rains which will leave French territory in the middle of the day.
Regarding the heat wave, temperatures began to drop slowly on Sunday evening, but the night from Sunday to Monday remained heavy, with minimums between 17 and 22°C in the departments on alert, in particular in Île-de- France. The heat wave finally ends in western France on Monday, thanks to the arrival of an Atlantic disturbance which causes a few thunderstorms. However, it persists until Monday evening in the Center-East.
It is essential that people in affected areas remain vigilant and follow weather updates, as these severe thunderstorms can cause significant disruption. Authorities recommend taking extra precautions and staying informed of local alerts to ensure their safety during this time of unstable weather conditions.