French weekend weather forecast December 6 - 7: Highs of 20C as temperatures spike

Rainy conditions at the start of the weekend will not prevent a return to spring-like warmth on Sunday, as a sudden warm spell covers the country.

Temperatures are forecast to reach up to 19C/20C in parts of the south, more than 8C above average for many areas, and reach up to 15C across the north.

The warm spell is set to last well into next week.

Friday December 5 

Friday sets the tone for the coming days, with mixed conditions across the country. 

Rain will move from the Atlantic and English Channel across Brittany and Normandy and the western coast, with winds of 80 km/h also possible throughout the latter. 

The rain will become weaker as it moves inland, but across Brittany will remain persistent. 

Central areas will be grey – although the risk of rain is low – with full sunshine only expected in the south-east.

Highs range from 6C - 8C in the north, 9C - 11C in Brittany despite the rain, and up to 14C in the south. 

Saturday December 6 

Rain will continue across most of France, although will come via intermittent showers as opposed to through heavy downpours. 

While areas with the most rainfall will be harder to pinpoint than on Friday, it is expected to fall in the south-west early morning, and then in central areas and near the German and Belgian borders later in the day. 

Even without rainfall, skies will be grey across France except in the south-east.

As of Friday morning, state forecaster Météo France has placed three departments on heightened orange alert for coastal flooding over the weekend: Finistère, Côtes d’Armor, and Manche. 

Warnings coincide with strong waves and winds along the English Channel and Brittany coastline. 

Residents in these departments should check weather alerts on Saturday morning, particularly if they live near the coast. 

Temperatures will jump from those on Friday, with highs across France being at least 10C (excluding Alpine foothills) and rising to 16C in the south-west despite the grey skies. 

Sunday December 7 

A new set of clouds will move in across Brittany, gradually covering the northern half of France with grey clouds and persistent rainfall. 

South of the Loire however, clearer skies are expected, with only thin wispy clouds. 

Temperatures will continue to rise from Saturday, reaching up to 15C around Paris and much of the north despite the rain. 

Highs of potentially 16C and 17C along the Mediterranean are forecast, potentially reaching up to 20C in the south-west. 

Along the Pyrénées foothills, the foehn effect is responsible for the sudden high temperatures in the area.

Elsewhere however highs are still significantly warmer than usual for the season, with many areas recording temperatures around 8C warmer than usual for earlier December. 

Between Friday and Saturday, some areas will see temperatures increase by around 9C. 

The warm weather is set to last for the first half of next week despite continued rainfall in the north, and national average temperatures are set to stay well above average for at least the next week.

One potential consequence of this however is that temperatures will remain above freezing, threatening ski resorts with a lack of snow.