France’s sunny weather is not expected to last very long this week

Planning on spending this weekend sipping a pastis in your garden or taking a stroll in a nearby park? You might want to think again.

Despite most of the country basking in sunshine on Wednesday (May 3), by Thursday (May 4) rain is expected in the north and north-west, with thunderstorms set to follow soon after.

By Sunday (May 7), almost the entire country is predicted to see rainfall that could last well into next week.

Some will welcome the rainfall, with swathes of France already experiencing drought restrictions - including at the highest ‘crisis’ level.

High temperatures before the fall

Warnings of thunderstorms will feel like a world away for most people, with warm temperatures throughout the country on Wednesday.

Most of the country will be experiencing blue skies, apart from some areas close to the Atlantic coast and Corsica.

Temperatures are predicted to hover around 20C near Paris, getting progressively higher going south – and may even reach up to 30C in the south-west around Biarritz.

The respite after last weekend’s rain will be short-lived, however, as by Thursday clouds are expected to sweep in.

This is expected to lead to rainfall across much of the county by Friday (May 6), with the north and east susceptible to thunderstorms before a weekend where most of France will be at risk.

Rain is set to persist and continue to push inland over the weekend, with only the Mediterranean coast being spared.

Read more: Warmer summer? Météo France gives three-month weather trends outlook

No weather warnings – yet

The official Vigilance France weather reports by Météo France only provide warnings up to 48 hours in advance.

At the time of writing (the morning of May 3) there are no warnings in place for stormy weather.

This may change, however, and we recommend checking for warnings on the official site closer to the weekend to see if your department is issued with one.

Record drought

The rain will be welcome in the parts of France battling the impact of a record winter drought.

Some French regions are already on the highest level for drought restrictions, enforcing strict regulations on water usage.

The weather will allow aquifers and reservoirs to replenish – they are currently well below average levels.

Despite the rain, temperatures are above average for the period, hinting that a warmer-than-average summer could be on the way to strain water resources further.

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