A polar air mass is looming over France, and temperatures have tumbled to midwinter levels across the country. Forecasts of fierce winds and heavy snowfall have led Météo-France to activate orange weather alerts for 58 departments, including those in the southeast.
The strong winds experienced by much of the Riviera on Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th November are set to continue over the coming days as Storm Caetano sweeps across France.
Gusts of up to 150 km/h are expected on Alpine summits in the Alpes du Sud and Hautes-Alpes on Thursday 21st November, along with snowfall ranging from 30 cm to 70 cm in areas above 1,500 m.
See more: When are local ski resorts opening for the winter season?
Further to the north, snow is falling at much lower altitudes, and large swathes of France’s north are set to receive snow on Thursday 21st November.
With the arrival of the first snow episode of the season for much of France, temperatures have plummeted across the country. In some areas, daytime temperatures are not likely to rise above 3 to 5°C, levels more comparable to January averages than those of November.
These conditions are early but not unprecedented, according to Météo-France.
“More notable events have occurred in the past, such as in 2010 and 2013,” reads a statement published on the national forecaster’s website. “Lesser snowfalls have also been recorded in recent Novembers, including 2017, 2018, and 2019.”
The Alpes du Sud are already tipped with white after snowfall earlier in the month, and with the winter skiing season now just weeks away for many resorts in the region, many will be hoping that the cold snap heralds a good winter for mountain sports and activities.
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