Orange storm alert for Gard residents

Residents in Gard have been put on orange storm alert with Météo France warning of sustained torrential rains, while those in Ardèche and Lozère should also take care.

Heavy rains are falling to the west of the Rhône but moving eastwards and the orange alert alert lasts until the middle of the day.

The storm front will move east over the Rhône valley, Rhône-Alpes, Provence and Corsica but the rains should be less intense and should clear by the end of the day.

However, winds of up to 70kph will make coastal paths dangerous from heavy swells.

Residents in Gard are warned to take care and only to travel if necessary, avoid going over or near watercourses and beware of the risks of flooding.

A large north-west/south-east diagonal from Brittany to Alpes-Maritimes is on yellow alert for storms today, with storms in the Bay of Biscay disrupting the Transat Jacques Vabre yacht race and leading to problems along the Atlantic coast with residents on alert for high swells.
Weather simulation (purple is intense rain); Météo France