Storm Nils set to cross France: 30 departments on heightened alert

A powerful Atlantic storm is set to hit France tonight, bringing winds of up to 160 km/h alongside a risk of flooding to several departments in western and southern France.

Arriving around 22:00 tonight following a day of persistent rain across France, Storm Nils will sweep along the western coast before moving south-east into the Mediterranean to reach Corsica early Thursday morning.

State forecaster Météo France has placed 25 departments on heightened tier-three orange alert for a combination of strong winds, heavy rain / flash flooding, and river flooding today (February 11).

As of 08:00, the forecaster is placing 30 departments on a heightened alert for Thursday (February 12) after the storm increases intensity overnight.

Warnings are initially concentrated in the west but expand further inland in the south-west on Thursday.

These are subject to change as the storm progresses, however, and residents are advised to frequently check local conditions.

Residents are also advised to avoid driving on roads that are at risk of flooding (or have already been inundated with water), avoid river banks, and keep out of cellars/basements during heavy rain. 

In areas where heavy winds are expected, homeowners should tie down outdoor furniture, park vehicles away from spots where trees or debris may land, and stay indoors.

Rail services may be affected in impacted departments, although cross-Channel ferries look set to be unaffected by Storm Nils.

More advice on what to do during a storm can be found in our article here.

Flood and gale warning as roads close

Several rivers including the Blavet, Lay, Sèvre nantaise, Seugne, Charente, Vézère, and Arize-Lèze are all at heightened risk of flooding, states river watchdog Vigicrues. 

These warnings are already in place as of Wednesday morning, before the storm arrives.

A number of roads in the south-west have already been closed due to flooding, particularly in the Haute-Garonne.

Gales of up to 140 km/h on the Atlantic coast and 110 km/h inland in the south-west are expected tonight and tomorrow morning. Winds may reach over 160 km/h across Corsica on Thursday once storm Nils hits the Mediterranean. 

In parts of Brittany and the Pays-de-la-Loire, up to 10 mm of rain may fall per hour during the height of the storm overnight, and snow may fall at 1,500m above sea level.

In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, up to 100mm of rain is set to fall during Storm Nils’ initial passage, and up to a month’s worth of rain could fall in some departments by the end of the week.

Strong winds will continue in the south-west throughout Thursday, with Corsica facing the brunt of the storm until potentially Friday morning.

Météo France is warning residents across the south to stay vigilant, as recent heavy rainfall increases the risk of flooding. 

“With heavy rainfall over the past several weeks, vegetation and soil are saturated. Trees and infrastructure can therefore be weakened and more vulnerable to wind,” the state forecaster said in its storm bulletin. 

“These conditions also result in very rough seas. The western coast of Corsica is exposed to a significant risk of coastal flooding,” it added.