Ten departments are on high (level-two) alert as gales continue to sweep the north of France and flooding returns to the Pas-de-Calais and Nord departments.
Brittany is also set for a day of very heavy rain.
DFDS Seaways has cancelled several ferry services between Dover and Calais due to poor weather conditions.
DOVER-CALAIS Cancelled services: Exit Dover 12:55 due to adverse weather. Apologies for this inconvenience caused. Customers will be transferred to the first available departure. #dfdsinfopic.twitter.com/fULadFHpJ1
The strong winds of the New Year have brought wet weather to most of the northern half of the country.
Rivers and other water courses in the Pas-de-Calais and Nord departments (Hauts-de-France) are overflowing again, having taken several weeks to drain after flooding in November.
Alerts have been raised for 53 departments due to the gales, which are forecast to reach up to 100km/h along the Normandy coast and up to 50km/h inland as far south as Lyon.
⚠️ La vigilance orange crue est étendue à de très nombreux cours d'eau du Pas-de-Calais et du Nord. Les 48 prochaines heures seront à hauts risques en raison de pluies très abondantes. pic.twitter.com/KBDPVeixHz
The Haut-de-France prefecture published a warning on X (formerly Twitter) against “approaching flooded areas either in a vehicle or on foot”. It advises people to exercise “extreme caution” in affected areas.
There is no sign of respite for the Pas-de-Calais department, with up to 25mm of rain forecast on January 2, and more rain expected every day until Saturday.
However, the blustery weather is expected to bring heavier rain to Brittany, where Brennilis in Finistère will see 69mm of precipitation on January 2 alone.
The gales are forecast to subside on Thursday as a cold snap seizes France.
