Chilly with some showers and snow: French weekend weather outlook March 15 - 16

A cold weekend is in store for many in France, with snowfall expected in the east and frosty mornings in the north and centre. 

Showers will hit several areas of France, and cold winds will blow across most of the country. 

A strong Mediterranean storm – dubbed Konrad by the Portuguese weather authorities – will hit Corsica and possibly other parts of the south-east on Friday. 

Friday March 14

The week will end with conditions similar to those seen throughout the previous few days.

Skies will be grey almost everywhere, with virtually no sunshine in the south or far north of France, and only around four hours – the maximum set to be seen today – in Brittany and parts of the west. 

Despite the grey skies, rain is only likely in the south-east. 

Storm Konrad will potentially bring thunderstorms to Corsica, however as of 09:00 this morning heightened weather warnings are not in place. 

There are some lower tier-two yellow alerts for snowy/icy roads (neige-verglas) in much of the north of France, but these are unlikely to reach severe warning levels. 

Read more: 4 tips to stay safe and check icy roads in real-time in France

You can keep up to date with official weather alerts on the Météo France website. 

Temperatures will be cooler than much of last week, setting the tone for a chilly weekend. 

Highs of 8C in the north and 13C in the south are likely, but the combination of grey skies and wind may cause temperatures to feel a couple of degrees lower than registered on the thermometer.

Saturday March 15 

Eastern France will see the brunt of cold weather on Saturday, with cool winds keeping temperatures down. 

The north and west of France faces a risk of showers – although none will be significant – alongside its grey skies. 

Roads will again be frosty in the morning in many northern/central areas, and drivers should be cautious if travelling early in the morning.

The south-east is likely to face rain for the majority of the day, however the risk of more impactful storms will be at an end. 

This rain will move north, through the Alps and to the German border throughout the course of the day. 

Temperatures will be similar to Friday, reaching 8C/9C in the north and 13C in the south, however in the east this will be much lower, between 4C and 6C. 

Sunday March 16 

Sunday will see rainfall move west, covering a central belt of France from Lyon to Nantes where temperatures will also be lower than previous days. 

Skies will be grey to both the north and south of this cold line, but showers are unlikely. 

Snowfall is expected in the eastern mountains – Vosges, Jura, and the Alps – throughout the day, potentially in the foothills of the ranges.

The Mediterranean will bounce back from its week of rain and storms with a sunshine-filled day stretching across the coast. 

Temperatures outside of this cool central belt will remain unchanged in several areas, with highs of between 8C and 13C ranging from the north to the south – several degrees below seasonal norms. 

Early forecasts for next week predict a spike in temperatures, particularly in the north, alongside the return of strong sunshine.