Thunderstorms follow heatwave
Hailstones the size of tennis balls batter Haut-Rhin while Côte-d'Or and Saône-et-Loire are on storm alert
TODAY sees the end of the heatwave that has seen parts of France reach more than 42C but it is leaving violent thunderstorms in its wake.
Hailstorms have also caused disruption in nine departments in Franche-Comté, Lorraine and Alsace with hailstones the size of tennis balls being reported in Haut-Rhin and others of up to 3cm in diameter smashing windscreens and panel roofs elsewhere.
A driver was also seriously hurt when a tree was blown down on his car in Cluny (Saône-et-Loire) during gusting winds that reached up to 136kph in Haute-Marne, near Chaumont.
Two departments - Côte-d'Or and Saône-et-Loire - are on orange alert for thunderstorms and violent winds. and two, Isère and Rhône - are still on heatwave alert.
However, the heatwave may be less intense but Météo France warned that while maximum temperatures would be less than during the past week early-morning temperatures would still be high. It will be Friday before temperatures start to reduce appreciably.
From today the hottest air will be progressively pushed towards the south-east with points south of the line Toulouse-Lyon still seeing temperatures of up to 38C. Tomorrow should see temperatures of around 25C in the north and then by Friday clouds full of rain will cover the majority of the country.
Weather map -Météo France
