Storm warnings raised in 21 French departments

A total of 21 departments in eastern France have been placed on high (orange) alert for storms on Sunday, July 20 by state forecaster Météo-France.

The warnings, originally limited to six departments in the north-east, now extend across a broad area from Lorraine and Alsace to the Alps and parts of central-eastern France.

Strong winds, hail and intense rainfall are expected across most of the country as temperatures drop by around 2C or 3C.

Departments under high (orange) alert include Ain, Ardèche, Côte-d’Or, Doubs, Drôme, Isère, Jura, Loire, Haute-Marne, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Rhône, Haute-Saône, Saône-et-Loire, Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Vosges and Territoire de Belfort. 

Warnings take effect from 13:00 in Meuse, Moselle, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Vosges, Haute-Marne, Côte-d’Or, Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Saône-et-Loire and Territoire de Belfort. The alert will be extended to the remaining departments from 15:00.

A separate alert for flood risk will come into force from 20:00 in Savoie, Haute-Savoie and Isère.

Météo-France has warned that some storms may be “locally violent”, with gusts of 70-90km/h and possibly up to 120km/h in isolated areas. 

Rainfall may reach up to 40mm in an hour in some areas, with small to medium hailstones and a high density of lightning strikes.

The high (orange) alerts are expected to remain in place until 18:00, although conditions may persist beyond then in some areas. 

The storms are forecast to move north-east by the end of the afternoon. 

Additional warnings may be issued later today as heavy rainfall is forecast in the south-east this evening.

Residents in areas affected by the storms are advised to monitor updates and take precautions if travelling or planning outdoor activities.