French weekend weather forecast November 22 - 23: rains bring an end to cold snap

Temperatures will rise over the weekend, however there is still the possibility of another bout of snow on Sunday morning in central and eastern France.

Humid conditions moving inland from the Atlantic and English Channel are likely to cause rain at the same time as they increase temperatures, setting the tone for a drizzly few days ahead.

Friday November 21 

A chilly morning where temperatures are close to – or at – freezing across most of north and central France will see weather alerts for icy roads and black ice (neige-verglas) in place across the country except for along the Mediterranean, Provence, parts of Brittany and some departments on the western coast and English Channel. 

The warnings, while only at a tier-two yellow level, will stay in place throughout the day. Rain however is not forecast, outside of the very small risk of showers in central areas around Limoges and Auxerre in the afternoon.

As the day progresses, temperatures will increase, reaching up to 7C in the west and south, but still stay at around 2C in the north. 

Temperatures may remain at around 0C throughout the day in the centre and east. 

Snow is expected in the major mountain chains, but dry conditions mean none at lower altitudes, preventing a repeat of Thursday. 

However, in the southern Alps, an area that has not seen as much snowfall yet this season compared to other mountain chains, there may be sleet/snow formations as low as 500m above sea level. This will correspond to settled snow higher in the mountains. 

The Mistral and Tramontane winds will blow throughout the south, reaching between 90 km/h and 100 km/h at their peak. 

Saturday November 22 

Similar conditions are expected on Saturday, as most of France remains cold but mostly dry. 

Morning frosts are expected across most of the country, reaching to potentially -7C in some rural central areas. 

Sunshine in the east, south, and centre will be plentiful, with skies cloudier in the north and west. 

A risk of rainfall in the north and west is possible, starting late in the afternoon and lasting until the evening, although heavy downpours are unlikely. 

However, the arrival of these clouds will see temperatures rise slightly as the air becomes thick and humid, pushing out the previously settled polar winds.

Elsewhere, temperatures will remain largely similar, although in the south-east may reach above 10C. 

Thunderstorms are possible in Corsica due to instability in the Mediterranean, but these will not reach the mainland. The Mistral and Tramontane will continue to blow.

Sunday November 23 

A shift will take place on Sunday, as rain-bearing clouds move in from the west to cover much of central and eastern France. 

Rain, sleet, and snow are likely across this central belt, although the latter is unlikely to fall in any large quantity outside of the mountains. Likewise, snow is unlikely to settle.

In the south-west, rain will be particularly strong with grey skies covering the area for most of the day.

However, temperatures will increase across many areas despite the conditions. 

Highs of around 6C in the north, 8C in the centre, 11C in the west, and potentially above 15C in the south-west are all well above those recorded since the cold snap earlier in the week. 

Early forecasts for next week see rains continue, although temperatures are unlikely to drop as low as seen during the cold snap.