Storms expected across France this weekend following sunny spell

Thunderstorms are forecast to sweep across the country this weekend, bringing an end to the summery conditions many have enjoyed in recent days. 

A surge of warm air coming from the Maghreb has given much of the country a taste of early summer with average temperatures across France reaching 25C on Wednesday (April 8).

Conditions are set to change from Saturday evening. According to Meteonews temperatures are set to drop as low as 4C in certain regions. However, Yann Amice, a meteorologist and founder of the WeatherNCo website, forecasts that temperatures will not drop lower than 11C.

Mild weather is expected to continue until Friday, April 10 with a change beginning on Friday evening, affecting a line stretching from Nantes to Paris, Bordeaux, and up to Lille.

Temperatures in the northwestern regions will start at around 5C in the early morning, rising to a peak of 20C on Friday. By Saturday, conditions will cool to an average of 11C, with widespread thunderstorms expected across the area.

A second wave will follow on Sunday, as storms move towards the Mediterranean coast, impacting areas along a line from Bordeaux to Lyon, Toulouse, Marseille, and Nice. Temperatures are expected to fluctuate between 4C and 21C.

Stormy conditions are expected to persist along the Mediterranean coastline until Monday. By Tuesday, the weather should begin to stabilise. However, meteorologist Mr Amice warns that mid-April could remain unsettled, particularly in the north-west, although temperatures are expected to stay relatively high.