French weekly weather forecast January 5 - 9: bitter cold and snow
Up to 10cm of snow is due in Brittany and Normandy. Toulouse, Dordogne and the Pays Basque will also see flocons
Warnings have been given for drivers in the north and west over snowy conditions at the start of the week
Frederic Legrand - COMEO / Shutterstock
An exceptionally cold week is in store for France, with temperatures dropping to levels not seen since 2018.
Several spells of snowfall are forecast across northern, western and eastern France, with up to 10cm expected in Normandy and Brittany and around 3cm falling as far south as Dordogne.
At the start of the week, national average temperatures will remain at below 0C, before a sudden rise at the end of the week.
Monday January 5
A bitter cold Monday is in store, with freezing fog in the east and morning temperatures at 0C or below in most areas except the far south and Mediterranean.
Snowfall across the north is expected, concentrated in inland Brittany, Normandy and the Pays de la Loire. It will last into the afternoon.
Around 3cm to 7cm is expected, but this could rise to 10cm in some areas, predicts state forecaster Météo France.
The forecaster has issued 23 tier-three orange warnings for icy roads/black ice in the north and west, with drivers being urged to remain cautious.
Departments across France are also facing warnings for cold temperatures from the forecaster, and many have issued ‘Grand Froid’ plans to protect vulnerable people.
Speed limits in several northern areas have been lowered, and those driving on roads should be aware of potential new maximums.
This includes a maximum 80 km/h on roads in the Île-de-France capital region, where the police have also put restrictions in place for heavy goods vehicles.
Temperatures will remain bitterly cold, with highs of 0C - 2C in the north, -1C in the east, 4C in the south-west, and 5C in the Mediterranean.
Nice and the far south-east remains an anomaly, with highs of 12C being considerably above anywhere else on the mainland.
A fresh spell of overnight snowfall is expected to continue into Tuesday morning in several areas.
Tuesday January 6
Many areas will wake to fresh snowfall overnight in the south-west, including the Dordogne and even parts of the Pays Basque.
Around 3cm is possible and will largely fall in rural areas between major population points.
As the day progresses snowfall will stop and across France it will be mostly sunny, save for some clouds in the west.
Bitter cold temperatures will remain, much the same as the day before, however winds will become stronger particularly in the south.
There is a risk of blizzards in the Massif Central mountain range, and the Mistral and Tramontane winds may blow at around 100 km/h.
Wednesday January 7
Snow will return on Wednesday, covering much of north and central France.
Areas in the north are all but guaranteed to see snowfall, and it may fall as far south as Toulouse. Exact levels are not yet known.
Bitter cold temperatures in the east will remain for one more day, with lows of around -10C at sunrise, and highs of -2C.
Elsewhere, rainfall in the south-west and Pyrénées foothills will turn to snow at higher altitudes, leading to a damp midweek and any remaining snowfall from Tuesday will wash at away at lower levels.
Strong winds will continue in the south and Corsica will see periods of showers between sunshine.
Highs of around 3C in the north and up to 6C in the west are warmer than previous days, and may reach up to 11C in the Pays Basque despite the rain – higher than the south-east.
Thursday January 8
A change will take place on Thursday, but early morning snow is still forecast in the east, gradually turning to rain as the day goes on.
This rain will cover most of the country, but coincide with rising temperatures.
Highs of around 3C in the east, 6C in the north, 11C in the west and along the Mediterranean and up to 14C in the south-west are forecast.
Overnight temperatures will remain very cold, meaning that national average temperatures will stay slightly below usual.
Friday January 9
A low-pressure system moving in from the British Isles will quickly cover most of France by the end of the day.
It will further increase temperatures, but also bring sustained rainfall and strong winds.
Winds of well over 100 km/h are possible across the north, lasting throughout the day.
It is expected to remain in place for much of the weekend, although a drop in temperatures in the east may bring more snow to the area on Sunday.
Are you in an area that has seen snowfall? We would love to see. Share any photos with us via feedback@connexionfrance.com
