A new day of extreme weather risk is unfolding across France. Météo France has placed 39 departments under an orange storm alert for Thursday, August 27, warning of a “particularly marked new storm pulse” sweeping from the Massif Central to Burgundy and the Vosges, accompanied by “very intense storm cells.” A second wave is expected to hit the Pays-de-la-Loire, Normandy, Île-de-France, and Hauts-de-France regions.
The initial alert, issued early Thursday, covers 23 departments: Nord, Pas-de-Calais, Somme, Oise, Seine-Maritime, Eure, Calvados, Orne, Sarthe, Mayenne, Maine-et-Loire, Aube, Haute-Marne, Vosges, Haute-Saône, Côte-d’Or, Yonne, Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire, Allier, Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, and Cantal.
By 10 a.m., Météo France expanded the orange alert to 16 additional departments: Aisne, Ardennes, Marne, Eure-et-Loir, Creuse, Corrèze, Lot, Aveyron, and all eight departments of the Île-de-France region. The alert takes effect from 2 p.m. and will continue through the afternoon and night, depending on the department.
Risk of Tornado-Like Phenomena and Large Hail
Météo France stresses that a “strong storm episode requiring particular vigilance” will arrive this afternoon due to a “marked risk of violent phenomena.” The meteorological institute forecasts “intense electrical activity,” wind gusts reaching up to 110 km/h, a “risk of medium to large hail,” and heavy rainfall.
“In the Auvergne, Burgundy, and Vosges sectors, tornado-like phenomena are possible,” Météo France stated, adding that they are “not excluded” elsewhere.
Corsica Under Heat Alert, Pyrénées-Orientales on Red Fire Watch
Other alerts are also in effect across the country. The two departments of Corsica were placed under an orange heatwave alert at noon on Thursday, as very hot air masses and a sirocco effect could push temperatures above 40°C.
The Pyrénées-Orientales department has been placed under a red forest fire alert for Thursday. The area will be “exposed to a very pronounced foehn effect with southerly winds, maximum temperatures up to 37-39°C, and about 20% humidity,” combined with “very severe vegetation dryness.” The foehn effect occurs when wind crosses a mountain barrier, causing significant warming of the air mass.
Violent Storms Hit Western France Overnight
The night from Wednesday to Thursday was marked by severe weather in the west of the country, where 12 departments were under an orange storm alert. Winds of 98 km/h were recorded Wednesday in Blois (Loir-et-Cher), more than 40 mm of rain fell in La Gaubretière (Vendée) and Nueil-les-Aubiers (Deux-Sèvres), and hailstorms occurred. The orange alert was lifted at 2 a.m. Thursday across the country.
This episode follows violent storms that swept through the south of France on Monday night, including a devastating tornado in the village of Pomas in the Aude department.
