French weekly weather forecast April 20 - 24: sunny in north, risk of rain in south

A week of mostly dry and calm weather is forecast for the north of France, however in the south there is a risk of rain and thunderstorms until Thursday.

Revised forecasts come after rain was initially forecast for this week, but a change in conditions means this weather pattern will no longer cross the country. 

Temperatures will climb gradually across the week to peak on Friday

Monday April 20 

The north is benefitting from a high-pressure weather system from the British Isles, keeping rainclouds out, although wispy white clouds are expected across most areas. 

Highs of around 12C around Belgium are a chilly outlier, with temperatures elsewhere around 16C - 20C north of the Loire. 

In the south, clouds become more dominant, and thunderstorms are expected across the Pyrénées. Moving in from the Pays-Basque in the morning, they may head inland to the Massif Central. 

Other than this, it should remain dry.

Temperatures will remain between 20C - 24C and up to 26C near Bordeaux.

Tuesday April 21 

Similar conditions are forecast on Tuesday, with clouds covering most of France. Rain will be limited to the Pyrénées and thunderstorms are unlikely.

Winds in Brittany and the Normandy coastline could reach up to 80km/h, so seas may be choppy. 

Temperatures will remain mostly similar to the start of the week, although in the south-west they will rise to potentially 28C, around 11C warmer than usual for the season.

Wednesday April 22 

Calm skies and plenty of sunshine are forecast in the north, as the high-pressure system continues to protect the area, and temperatures may reach up to 20C north of the Seine.

Further south, cloud cover increases and thickens, with very cloudy skies from Bordeaux downwards – though rain remains uncertain. 

Some forecasters, such as La Chaîne Météo (owned by Le Figaro) warn of the risk of thunderstorms in the south-west whereas state forecaster Météo France is not currently predicting any rain. 

Check ahead if living in the south-west and planning to spend time outside on Wednesday.

Wispier clouds will extend across the south to the Alps and Riviera, although rain is not expected. 

Temperatures of around 20C are forecast – around the same as on Wednesday if not slightly higher in some areas – and 26C in the Pays-Basque, lower than Tuesday.

Thursday April 23 

Conditions are largely similar on Thursday, including a potential for storms in the south. 

Sunshine will be dominant across more areas, however, including the Rhône Valley and Riviera, leaving cloud coverage confined to the south-west and coastal Brittany. 

Temperatures will rise by around 1C or 2C in all areas but the south-west.

Friday April 24 

Morning clouds across Normandy are forecast, but should dissipate by midday, leading to another day of sunshine across the north. 

A band of clouds along the Atlantic coastline are expected but should not bring rain, and despite their presence the day should be calm. 

Temperatures will climb again, up to 23C in the north and Mediterranean and 26C in several parts of the south-west. 

Early forecasts for the weekend show the return of clouds to the north and centre of France, as well as sustained rainfall in the Pyrénées and Massif Central.