Ten departments in southwest France on storm alert, hail expected

Ten departments in Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine are on orange-level alert for storms today, expected to arrive late afternoon.

The departments are: Aveyron, Haute-Garonne, Gers, Lot, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne, Dordogne, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne and Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

Orange is the second highest alert level and means people should be ”very vigilant”.

Météo-France states: “Thunderstorms, sometimes violent, accompanied by heavy hail and violent gusts, are expected in the late afternoon and evening over the southwest of France.”

Temperatures in the two regions are expected to be high throughout most of today before the storm arrives.

Read more: Storm damage in France: How to manage an insurance claim for your home

Météo-France gives the following advice to people in affected areas:

• Stay away from trees and waterways
• Take shelter in a well-constructed building
• Stay informed and avoid travel where possible
• Protect property that is exposed to the wind or that may be flooded
• Avoid using telephones and electrical appliances during the storm

For more information see Météo-France’s website here, or follow the developments on Twitter here.

Stormy weekend in France

There will be sporadic storms for much of this weekend across the whole of France due to a low-pressure system which will move up from Portugal to the north of France.

This weekend is Pentecost, also known as Whitsun, a Christian celebration marking 50 days since Easter Sunday.

Monday (June 6) is a public holiday in France (Lundi de Pentecôte) but people can still work and designate the day a “solidarity day”, meaning their pay is given to the state to help fund care for the disabled and elderly.

In France, May 1 is the only bank holiday that has to be taken off, apart from sectors deemed exempt, such as doctors and pilots.

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