North and southwest France on heavy rain and flood alert

Eight departments in north and southwest France are on orange alert for heavy rain and floods, with conditions set to intensify overnight tonight into tomorrow (Monday, January 10).

Orange is the second-most severe level, above yellow, but below the most severe level of red.

The departments on alert are:

Nord, Aisne, Landes, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne, Gers, and Ariège.

Heavy rain is set to continue today and intensify tomorrow, with up to 2-5mm per hour, with some snow in the higher mountainous regions above 1,300 metres.

It comes during a time of more mild weather across the Pyrenees, causing snow to be replaced with rain in some lower areas around 1,200 metres and below.

Rain could reach as much as 250mm in some mountain areas, forecasters have said.

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