Remembering last March’s snowstorm

FRANCE has been basking in warm sunshine over the weekend - and the good news is the hot spell is set to continue into next Saturday at least - but this time last year the country was in the grip of an unusual cold snap.

Almost a year ago to the day, a snowstorm swept across northern France, paralysing transport, and knocking out power to thousands of homes, while drivers and passengers in nearly 500 cars were trapped overnight near Cherbourg when the storm struck on March 12, 2013.

Twenty-six regions in northwest and northern France were put on alert for heavy snow.

And the army was mobilised to help workers restore electricity to about 80,000 homes in the north-east of the country, which had been left without power after the snowstorm.

The roof of the exhibition hall in Caen collapsed during the storm. Snowdrifts in the area piled up 60cm deep as winds reached 100kph.

The storm was followed by a cold snap in which afternoon temperatures did not get above 0C, while at night, the northeast endured lows of -15C.

The exceptional weather lasted until the end of the month. April and May last year was also plagued by bad weather.

In contrast this year, France is enjoying an early promise of summer as a powerful Saharan anticyclone, combined with a warm southern wind, have brought temperatures ranging from 21C in Ploumanac'h (22) and 19.1C in the centre of Le Havre, to 18.8C in Dieppe (76).

The warm, calm weather also means levels of air pollution, notably in the Île-de-France, will remain high.

Last week speed limits were implemented, aimed at reducing the levels of particulates in the air.

Photo:Flavio Ensiki