Storms return: French weekend weather update May 31 - June 1

Many parts of France are set for a weekend of heavy storms - and maximum temperatures will drop by up to 10C in some areas within the space of just over a day.

High temperatures on Friday and Saturday will be swept away by Sunday, with only the south-east and coastal north remaining unaffected by storms or rain.

Friday May 30 

Friday will see a continuation of the warm conditions felt on Thursday’s Ascension public holiday. 

Sunny and dry throughout France, temperatures of 30C in the north, 32C in Lyon, and up to 35C in Bordeaux and Toulouse are forecast.

Record temperatures for May are possible in the Pyrénées foothills, with temperatures locally reaching 36C or 37C in the south-west.

However, storms will begin to emerge around the Pyrénées and south-west from the evening onwards, leading to a humid night. 

Strong winds coming with the storms are expected to bring a drop in temperatures in the evening from around 30C to 20C in a few minutes, so those outside should be prepared for a change. 

Saturday May 31 

Thunderstorms in the south-west are mostly expected to stop by Saturday morning, although there is a risk of them returning later in the day. 

The centre and north-east will see strong thunderstorms emerge from the afternoon heat, where it could reach up to 30C before storms begin. 

The storms will skirt around Paris but mainly bring hail to areas in the north and the Ardennes forest. 

Normandy and Brittany should remain mostly unaffected, with highs of around 20C to 25C.

The south-west, whether it seems more storms or not, will reach around 35C, up to 36C locally, and in the south-east and along the Mediterranean temperatures of around 30C are likely, although cloudy skies are expected. 

Sunday June 1 

Thunderstorms are expected to continue from the south-west to the north east but forecasters are as yet uncertain how strong they will be, nor how long they will last. 

A clearer picture will be available on Saturday after storms in the north-east begin, as their movement will influence Sunday’s forecast.

This potential ‘storm-belt’ will see a drop in temperatures regardless of the weather conditions, dropping by around 10C in the south-west. 

Highs of around 25C are forecast in Bordeaux and Toulouse, making the 30C in Lyon forecast the highest predicted temperature in France

Elsewhere, the northern coastline will remain unaffected by storms but will be mostly cloudy even if without rain. 

The south-east and Mediterranean will continue to escape the stormy weather but cloudy skies will again prevent a full summer-feeling, with temperatures hitting around 27C. 

Storms are forecast to hit much of France next week, particularly in the south-west and centre.