Orange weather warnings of snow for nine departments

Residents in the Hautes-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne, Ariège, Puy-de-Dôme, Creuse, Corrèze, Cantal, the Haute-Loire and the Var are warned to be extra careful, according to Météo France.

An orange warning is the second-most serious in place - just below the most-serious red level - and warns of potentially-“dangerous” weather.

The Massif Central has already seen significant snowfall overnight, with up to eight centimetres recorded across Clermont-Ferrand and surrounding areas yesterday night. Between five and 10 more centimetres of snow is expected today, as well as a strong north wind.

Heavy snowfall is expected in the Pyrénées this morning, with snow expected at relatively low altitudes of 200-300 metres. Around 10-20 cm of snowfall is predicted to fall anywhere higher than 500 metres, and up to 20-40 cm at altitudes of 1000 metres or more.

As for the Var region, it will see between five and 10 centimetres of snow, mainly expected to fall this evening.

Most of the rest of the country - except the Hérault, Gard, Hautes-Alpes, Ille-et-Vilaine, Vendée, Loire-Atlantique, Morbihan, Côtes d’Armor, and Finistère - is on ‘yellow’ alert due to cold temperatures, ice, and previous snowfall.