Strong winds will hit the northwest third of the country this Thursday. Twenty-six departments are on orange alert. Two departments are also placed on alert for rain-flooding.
“Rough weather, wind and rain. Gale in the north-west third and return of snow in the mountains” summarized in its bulletin this Thursday morning Météo-France. In detail, no less than 26 departments are placed on orange alert. The North-West of France is no longer the only affected area. The departments of Vendée and Deux-Sèvres are also affected, as are the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Hautes-Pyrénées. In the northern half, the departments which remain concerned are: Pas-de-Calais, Nord, Somme, Aisne, Seine-Maritime, Oise, Eure, Val-d’Oise, Yvelines, Seine-et-Marne, Essonne, Seine-Saint-Denis, Hauts-de-Seine, Val-de-Marne, Paris, Eure-et-Loir, Calvados, Orne. The Manche, the Ardennes, the Marne, the Meuse are entering this high vigilance zone.
Depression “Louis” will generate violent winds this Thursday
In its bulletin, Météo-France specifies that “the southwest wind is very present with gusts between 60 and 80 km/h. This afternoon the depression “Louis” is deepening and generating violent winds from the beginning of the following day. -noon until late evening in the departments placed on orange alert and which will be swept by a period of heavier rain associated with violent gusts of up to 90 to 110 km/h or even 120/130 near the coast. Note that with the exception of the Mediterranean rim and Corsica, almost the entire rest of the country will be affected by a yellow wind warning.
“The wind also accelerates on the foothills of the Pyrenees, 100 to 110 km/h. In the northwest, the weather is unstable alternating with clearings, sleet, thunderstorms and even sleet with gusts up to 90/110 km /h on the Atlantic coast and the English Channel, and 80/90 km/h locally 100 km/h inland” specifies Météo-France. In the evening, an acceleration of the Tramontane which will reach 90/100 km/h at peak while the wind drops a notch on the Atlantic coast and the English Channel should allow some breathing space. For their part, temperatures will also drop the following night. “Heavy snowfall in the Alps” is expected according to Météo-France. This weekend, the wind is expected to concentrate on the northwest part of the country, with gusts of up to 85 km/h on the Basque coast and 75 km/h in Finistère. Thunderstorms will also be on the agenda.