French weekly weather forecast May 18 - 22: highs of 30C in south-west

Weather conditions in France will see a major turnaround this week, with rain and cooler temperatures replaced by sun and a burst of warmth. 

Highs of over 30C in the south-west coincide with an increase in temperatures across the board, raising conditions to feel almost summery by Friday. In the south, temperatures will climb by more than 10C across the week.

It comes after temperatures fell below seasonal averages last week with rain and storms recorded across France

Monday May 18 

The start of the week sees rain remain in place. 

A belt of rain will move eastwards from Brittany to the German border throughout the day, potentially turning stormy by late afternoon in the east.

Storms are expected in the southern Alps and Riviera in the afternoon. 

The south-west will remain dry if very cloudy, and clouds are forecast across the western Mediterranean despite a lack of rain. 

Temperatures will remain below average for the season and will be at their coolest of the week. 

Nationally, they are around 3C below a mid-late May average, with local highs of 13C - 15C in the north, and 15C - 19C in the south (potentially reaching 20C around Montpellier). 

Tuesday May 19 

A classic north / south divide will appear on Tuesday, with departments north of the Loire seeing rain but areas in the south remaining dry and sunny. 

The amount of rainfall is expected to be lighter than on Monday, with no risk of storms. Winds along the English Channel coastline will blow fairly strong, but no official alerts are in place.

In the south, cloudy skies are possible, particularly in the Massif Central, but it will remain dry. 

Temperatures will climb slightly, with highs of 14C - 17C (although potentially 18C in Brittany), and 17C - 22C in the south. 

Wednesday May 20 

The north begins to see changes on Wednesday, catching up to the south. 

A cloudy morning will eventually dissipate into sunshine, with the risk of rain only limited to the English Channel. Partial cloud coverage is still expected in Brittany and the east, but this will be significantly less than at the start of the week. 

The south remains sunny and dry, although it will be cloudy in the Pyrénées and along parts of the Atlantic coastline. 

Highs of 17C - 20C in the north are forecast, although Brittany is again an outlier, this time with cooler temperatures and highs of 15C. 

In the south, highs of 20C - 25C bring a hint of summer, potentially up to 27C in Bordeaux and Toulouse.

Thursday May 21 

Warm, dry, and sunny conditions cover all of France, as an Azores high pressure wind system dominates skies above the country.

Highs of 20C - 24C in the north, and 22C - 27C in the south are slightly above average for the season. In Bordeaux, it may reach 30C. 

Friday May 22 

Conditions remain similar, if not improving slightly as there will be almost no clouds.

Highs of 21C - 25C in the north, and 23C - 29C in the south are the warmest of the week and national average temperatures will reach around 3C above typical for late May. 

Early forecasts for the weekend, however, point towards a return of rain, particularly in the south-east, although temperatures will remain high nationally.