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WEATHER

LATEST: Violent storms forecast in France with 26 départements on alert

Five départements in eastern France were placed on red alert - the highest warning level - on Tuesday with violent storms forecast. Huge parts of the country were also on Orange alert as trains were suspended and parks closed. The public were warned to be vigilant and avoid travelling.

LATEST: Violent storms forecast in France with 26 départements on alert
A lightning strikes a hill in the distance during a thunderstorm near Le Muy, southern France (Photo by Nicolas TUCAT / AFP)

On Tuesday afternoon France’s national weather operator, Météo France, had placed many départements primarily located in the east on the “orange” weather alert for storms.

Later on Tuesday that alert level was raised to red – the highest – in five départements in the east of the country. Those départements were Haute-Saône, Doubs, Jura, Territoire de Belfort and Haut-Rhin.

Violent thunderstorms, with hail, heavy rainfall and localised wind gusts of up to 130km per hour were forecast to hit on Tuesday evening.

Some 21 other départements were also on Orange alert for storms.

According to forecaster Météo France red alert level means there is a risk the violent storm could result in falling trees, flash floods and damage to buildings. Members of the public are advised not to travel unless necessary and to seek shelter indoors.

Red warnings in place in parts of the east. Météo France.

According to Météo France, stormy weather may continue into Wednesday morning in the south-east, but forecasters predict that it will begin to abate in the rest of the country throughout the day.

In response, several cities such as Lyon, Strasbourg and Nancy have announced that public parks would close early in anticipation of the storms. 

Train travel has also been affected – as a precaution, France’s national rail service SNCF announced they would be suspending traffic on several routes in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Disruption was also expected on some TER lines in Burgundy and Grand Est, according to SNCF.

An additional nine départements in the south east – Rhône, Ain, Isère, Alpes-Maritimes, Loire, Alpes-des-Haute-Provence, Jura, Côte d’Or, Saône-et-Loire – were still on orange alert for heatwave as well on Tuesday evening.

Temperatures of up to 35C are forecasted to continue in the south-east on Wednesday too.

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PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

How hot will it be in Paris during the Olympics?

A recent report has warned of the dangers of extreme heat for athletes - but what should spectators expect if they are in Paris for the Olympics or Paralympics?

How hot will it be in Paris during the Olympics?

The report labelled Rings of Fire – a collaboration between non-profit Climate Central, academics at Britain’s University of Portsmouth and 11 Olympians – warned that “intense heat at the Paris Olympics in July-August 2024 could lead to competitors collapsing and in worst case scenarios dying during the Games.”

Closer examination, however, reveals that the warning is based on previous heatwave scenarios in Paris, rather than any specific predictions for this summer.

Still, Paris can get pretty hot – so what should Olympics visitors expect this summer?

Seasonal norms

Held between July 26th and August 11th (Olympics) and August 28th and September 8th (Paralympics), there’s no doubt that the Games fall into the hottest part of the French summer.

Average temperatures in Paris for July and August are between 16C and 26C, falling slightly in September to 13C/22C. 

However, when the city is in the grip of a canicule (heatwave) temperatures can rise significantly – the highest temperature ever recorded in Paris was during a heatwave in July 2019 – it was 42.6C.

During a heatwave it’s not uncommon for temperatures to be in the high 30s and to sometimes hit 40C.

Heatwaves usually don’t last long – they are officially defined as days with hot temperatures which also see little fall in the temperature at night (the ‘tropical night’ effect) and it’s rare to have more than five consecutive days like this.

One extra thing to take into account is the ‘heat sink’ effect – the effect that makes cities hotter than the surrounding areas. This happens to an extent in all cities as the cumulative heat exuded from people, vehicles and machinery (especially air-conditioning units) raises the temperature.

It is especially pronounced in Paris, however, due to the geography which traps the heat and the fact that Paris is a city with very little green space – during a heatwave the city can be up to 10C hotter than the surrounding countryside.

Forecast for summer 2024 

The especially annoying thing about heatwaves is that weather forecasters can only predict them about a week in advance, so at present we have no way of knowing whether the weather will be normally warm or insanely hot during the Games period.

French weather forecaster Météo France has predicted hotter-than-average temperatures over the whole of the summer, but cannot predict individual weeks this far in advance.

So far the year has been unusually rainy with cooler than normal temperatures, although the sunshine has returned this week. 

So how should Games visitors prepare?

If you’re attending events within the city, be aware that not all the stands have shade so you should prepare for your event by using a high-factor sunscreen (factor 50 preferably) and take a hat that provides shade for your face and the back of your neck. Stay hydrated.

Loose-fitting, roomy clothing made from natural fibres (eg cotton or linen) will be the most comfortable.

Other than that – keep an eye on weather forecasts and warnings.

If a heatwave is predicted, weather warnings (ranging from yellow ‘be prepared’ to red ‘possible danger to life’) will be issued, along with advice on keeping yourself safe.

The city will also activate its heatwave plan if temperatures soar – this includes setting up brumisateurs (machines providing cooled water vapour) and showing a map of ‘cool rooms’ within the city. There are also provisions in place for elderly or ill people who are more vulnerable to high temperatures.

Even outside a heatwave period Paris has a network of drinking water fountains to enable you to stay hydrated.

Take the warnings seriously – every year people die due to heatwaves

READ ALSO The French government advice for staying cool in a heatwave

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