Rain for the south and cooler everywhere: French weekly weather outlook May 5 - 9

A bout of persistent rain is likely to cover much of the south of France this week - but the risk of adverse conditions in the north is minimal.

The return of an anticyclone from the British Isles – similar to the one that caused last week’s high temperatures – will prevent rainfall in the north, however it will not bring a return of warm weather.

Monday May 5 

Storms that began over the weekend will continue on Monday, affecting the Pyrénées and Alps as well as part of the Mediterranean coast. 

Skies elsewhere will be mostly cloudy even if no rain is forecast, with temperatures hovering around 15C, up to 18C in the south-west and 20C in the south-east despite the risk of storms. 

Rain will push into central France as the evening progresses, but not significantly north of the Loire Valley. 

Several lower tier-two weather alerts are in place across the south, however none of these are likely to increase in severity. 

Read more: What to do - and not do - in a red or orange weather alert in France

Tuesday May 6

Storms in the south will peter out, although a risk of showers will remain in the southern mountain ranges and Rhône Valley and skies will remain mostly cloudy south of the Loire.

The north will remain dry, and despite an afternoon of sun and slightly higher temperatures (up to 17C/18C), morning frosts are likely and the usual precautions should be taken by drivers.

Temperatures in the south will be slightly cooler, only reaching around 15C in the Massif Central and Pays-Basque. 

The Mediterranean will see highs of 19C despite cloudy skies. 

Wednesday May 7 

A new bout of stormy weather will threaten the south, particularly in the mountain ranges. 

Elsewhere in the south, showers are likely but not expected to develop into full storms. 

In the north, cloudy skies will dominate but rain is unlikely. 

Temperatures will be mostly uniform from north to south, hovering between 17C and 19C, but are unlikely to break above 20C. 

In coastal Normandy and Brittany, these may drop as showers and coastal winds hit. 

Thursday May 8

In contrast to last Thursday’s public holiday, May 8 may not be an opportune time for outdoor activities with more rain forecast in the Pyrénées, Alps, and along the French Riviera. The centre of France as north as the Loire is set to face persistent showers. 

That being said, the northern, western, and Brittany coastlines are expected to be mostly calm, with little to no rain. 

Nationally, temperatures will hover between 16C and 18C, around 3C lower than averages for the first half of May. Peaks of 20C may be reached in the west and north, provided winds stay low. 

Friday May 9 

Forecasts for the end of the week are less certain due to the myriad of air patterns, however signs point towards the north remaining dry. 

The south and centre of France though are expected to face another day of rain, as clouds from Germany and Spain cross over the respective borders into the country.

Temperatures will remain unaffected, mostly hovering around 16C to 18C, however skies across France will be cloudy, a sign of potentially deteriorating weather at the weekend.