Weather divides north and south
Unseasonably cool and wet weather is predicted to continue in much of the country, while the south-east is spared
A NORTH-SOUTH weather divide has set in for the time being, experts say – hot in the south-east, comparatively cold and wet elsewhere.
Weather forecast agency Météo Consult says the north is suffering from a depression which has settled above the British Isles, bringing clouds, rain and cold temperatures.
The Azores anticyclone, which normally protects the north of France has fallen back onto the Atlantic too much, meteorologist Jérôme Cerisier told Le Figaro.
The picture is mirrored at Météo France, whose weather maps for the week to come show clouds and rain everywhere apart from the south-east, and marked temperature differences.
In the south-west the weather is a slightly milder version of what is being experienced in the north, with cold winds arriving from the UK.
In the south-east however temperatures are verging on a heatwave, with 34C recorded in the Var and 36C in Corsica. It is protected by the Tramontane and Mistral winds and benefits from heat coming up from Italy.
The effects of the British weather are likely to continue until the end of the week, with temperatures in much of the country dropping under 20C around Thursday and unlikely to be higher apart from on the Mediterranean. Until the middle of next week there are daily risks of showers.
From July 19 more summery weather is predicted in the Massif Central and the south-west. While experts say nothing can be guaranteed as concerns the north, it is hoped things may brighten up somewhat at the end of the month.
Photo:Digo di Souza
