Cold front hits for New Year

SNOWFALL and freezing temperatures will hit areas of France well into the first days of 2009.

While rain is expected to be concentrated on the centre and south of the country, it will fall as snow at altitudes above 300m and as temperatures drop in the evening.

Drivers are warned to expect slippery surfaces on the roads. The departments most affected are the Lozère, Aveyron, Cantal and the Haute-Loire.

Clear skies in the north will mean temperatures could drop as low as -7 degrees in Normandy and below freezing around Paris and the Centre region.

Ski stations in the Alps could see temperatures drop to -15 degrees.

Photo:Webjan