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Storms kill woman, wreaks havoc across large parts of France

Storms across large parts of France on Saturday killed one woman, wrought havoc in some vineyards and forced thousands of cub scouts to run for shelter. In contrast, the Mediterranean island of Corsica sweltered in record temperatures for the month of June.

Storms kill woman, wreaks havoc across large parts of France
A storm over a field in Sublaines, central France. Photo: Guillame Souvant/AFP

A woman died after being trapped under a car by flash waters caused by a storm in the northern city of Rouen, the mayor’s office announced.

In the Landes and Gers region of southwest France, hailstones bigger than golf balls crashed down on parts of the Armagnac vineyard, local growers and officials said.

Bernard Malabirade, president of the Gers agriculture department, said the hailstorm had affected tens of thousands of hectares. In the southwest Landes region, wine grower Nelly Lacave described the destruction left in the wake of the storm.

“In the vineyards, there is nothing left, the roof of our agricultural building is a giant Swiss cheese, and in the house, the windows are broken,” she told AFP. “My father, who is almost 70 years old, has never seen this,” she added.

Power company Enedis said Saturday evening the storms had cut off electricity to around 5,000 household across the country.

In Loir-et-Cher, central France, 30,000 scouts who gathered for a camping trip over the Pentecost holiday weekend had to be rushed to safety, many of them inside the local chateau.

“The storm broke at around 4:30 pm,” the scouts’ press spokesman Damien Tardy told AFP. “It lasted for a few minutes, but it was relatively strong, and a gust of wind collapsed the tents of the cub scouts.

READ ALSO: Stormy weather alerts issued in France

“Ten thousand youngsters, aged between eight and 12, were given shelter inside the chateau with the cooperation of the prefecture,” he added.

Some of the older scouts however had stayed out camping. “They were singing when I went over to see them.”

Cap Corse on the north of the island of Corsica, registered 37.4 degrees Celsius (99.3 Fahrenheit), said meteorologists France-Meteo, a record for the month of June.

France-Meteo has warned more storms were on the way, starting in the southwest and moving north and east across the country.

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WEATHER

Forecast: Where in France will see the worst of the icy weather?

Temperatures are expected to plunge below zero across France from this weekend. Here’s what to expect.

Forecast: Where in France will see the worst of the icy weather?

Starting this weekend, the wet and mild weather that soaked much of France over the Christmas and New Year holiday period is expected to be replaced by a freeze that could last for several days, with temperatures predicted to fall below zero in much of the country.

For the first time since February 2018, France’s national heat indicator – the national average of daytime and night-time temperatures – could dip below zero on Tuesday.

On Saturday, the north-east is forecast to have its first local frosts of 2024, as cold air from the north and east spreads over the country.

Temperatures in northern France are not expected to get above 8C, while the south could see the mercury rise to 11C.

Starting on Sunday, the north-eastern quarter will likely see more serious frosts, with daily temperatures close to 0C in the Paris region; and no higher than 1C in Strasbourg, Clermont-Ferrand and Lille; and 2C in Rennes. Elsewhere, a high of 9C is forecast in Marseille, and 8C in Bordeaux. 

READ ALSO ‘It’s duck cold!’: How the French complain about winter weather

In the south, however, strong chilly winds will make it feel much colder, notably in the Rhône Valley and around the Pyrénées-Orientales.

Cold air is expected settle over most of France from Monday. Morning frosts are forecast in most areas, while temperatures are likely to fall as low as -5C from the Massif Central to the eastern borders for a good part of the week. Some forecasts predict local temperatures as low as -10C.

At the start of the week, maximum temperatures will struggle to pass 0C in the eastern half of the country, as far north as the Ile de France, according to national forecaster Météo-France. In fact, only the coastal north-west, south-west, and around the Mediterranean are predicted to see daytime temperatures rise noticeably above freezing – though the wind chill may make it feel much colder.

As of Friday, Météo-France, however, had not yet designated the upcoming cold period as a cold snap (vague de froid), which has a very specific definition.

For a cold snap to be declared, France must experience three consecutive days in which temperatures dip below -2C, and rise no higher than 0.9C. It officially ends when temperatures rise above 2.2C.

READ ALSO IN PICTURES: You think it’s cold in Paris now but look how chilly it got in days gone by

Cold snaps can also be characterised on a regional scale when cold spells last at least two days and temperatures are well below seasonal normals for the region concerned.

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