Residents warned of violent winds

VIOLENT winds reaching up to 150kph have forced Météo France to put residents in Aude and Pyrénées-Orientales on orange alert with a warning that the tramontane wind is going to increase in throughout today.

The intense gusting wind reached 140kph at Cap Béar on the Côte Vermeille last night and will strengthen today making it dangerous to go outside, especially in wooded areas, and there is a real danger of roof or chimney damage.

Drivers are warned to take extreme care on back roads and Météo France advises walkers to keep out of forests and off coastal paths because of the risk of high waves.

Telephone and power cables are also at risk although no power cuts have so far been announced.

The orange alert is in force until tonight at 18.00 and the winds are being reinforced by a depression sitting to the south of Corsica – which is bringing freezing winds from the north-east.

Virtually all of the rest of France is on yellow alert for snow and black ice. Temperatures generally are about 5C below average and are hitting -10C in mountain valleys and not getting above -3C to 0C during the day.

However, the Côte d'Azur and Corsica saw temperatures at 11C this morning, rising to 13C, but with winds reaching up to 70kph.
Windsock photo: © Ian Calderwood