Prolonged heavy rain alert for parts of Languedoc-Roussillon tonight

A prolonged period of heavy rain is forecast to begin tonight (November 23) in Languedoc and Roussillon, with up to 150mm falling over the next 24 hours.

Aude has been placed under an orange weather alert for heavy rain and flooding starting at 22:00 tonight, while Pyrénées-Orientales and Hérault are already on a yellow warning for storms, heavy rain and flooding.

This is due to an épisode méditerranéen, which will see warm, wet air rise from the Mediterranean, forming thick clouds and resulting in storms over land.

The rain clouds are predicted by Météo France to settle over Corbières, Montagne Noire and Haut Languedoc, and the precipitation is expected to be heaviest in the east and centre of Aude and the south west of Hérault.

In the Pyrenees, the rainfall will manifest as snow, with 5-10cm expected to come down between 1,500 and 2,000 metres and 30-60cm above 2,000 metres, especially in the Massif du Canigou. Further west, around 15-30cm can be expected above 2,000 metres.

The épisode méditerranéen is due to come to an end on Thursday morning, when the rain will move towards the Côte d’Azur and western Corsica, lessening in intensity as it travels east.

Such weather events happen frequently in the south of France during the autumn months. The weather system has already climbed up parts of Spain, with Tarragona experiencing significant downpours.

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