'Peak' cold to hit France this weekend: what about Christmas?
Temperatures of -15C are expected in some areas on Saturday after a week of freezing weather, snow and ice
Temperatures could drop as low as -15C in France this weekend, with Saturday, December 17 set to be the coldest day of the week.
The lowest temperatures will be in the north east of the country, with an average of -10C in the morning. Even the south will see temperatures at or below zero. Only Corsica will escape the cold, with around 14C forecast on the island.
Much of the country has already felt cold this week, but the episode is not over yet.
See also: IN PICTURES: First snow of this winter falls on many parts of France
Forecaster La Chaîne Météo said: “This will be the coldest day of the week, at 5C lower than the seasonal, national averages.”
Météo France said the same, calling this Saturday the “peak” of the “particularly cold episode”.
On Sunday, temperatures are set to rise again and rain is forecast. Strasbourg will still be cold, at -6C in the morning, but Toulouse will be around 6C.
By Monday (December 19), the extreme cold will be gone, with an average of 13C in the afternoon in the northern half of the country, and 14C in the southern half.
Will it be a white Christmas?
A white Christmas is unlikely! Next week (December 19 to 25), temperatures are set to be much milder. Rain is expected in the north, while the south will remain largely dry.
Temperature averages will be between 9-14C in the north half of the country and cloudy. In the southern half temperatures will be higher, and could even reach 17C in Biarritz or Corsica.
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