Further temperature drop on way for France - and set to last for days

France prepares for a second temperature drop this week as a northern wind descends, bringing frosty mornings, and in higher altitude areas, snowfall.

Already cold on Monday (November 27), a second dip in temperatures is expected for Tuesday, with lows of -9C in Jura and -8C in Vosges on Tuesday night.

The dip will bring snow to the area, initially in areas between 200m - 800m above sea level today, but on Tuesday the snow is set to fall at altitudes close to sea level.

Around a dozen departments in the east are on alert for icy conditions this morning.

Elsewhere, Pas-de-Calais has returned to a tier-three orange warning for floods, as it continues to be battered by rain and high river levels.

A new concern for residents of areas close to the rivers is that the floods have deposited toxic materials in soils, making fruits and vegetables grown there unsafe to consume.

East will see wintry cold, south will be cooler than usual

The northern wind will bring temperatures down to below average levels, but for those in the south, autumnal weather may still remain.

In areas close to the Mediterranean and south-west, temperatures will remain in the mid-teens (reaching as high as 15C in Perpignan and 18C in Nice), although chilly morning temperatures are expected.

In Toulouse, the lows of 0C and highs of 12C are expected throughout the week, and on Sunday recorded its first negative morning temperatures alongside Bordeaux.

Rain across almost all of the northern and central parts of France today will contribute to keep conditions cool (with highs of 5C in the east), although the brunt of the polar wind will arrive from Tuesday.

In many larger cities, highs of only 3C are expected, including in Lyon, Metz, Strasbourg, and Dijon on Tuesday.

On Tuesday night, the winds will bring temperatures even lower, just shy of -10C in more rural areas.

This is following a day where the highest figures recorded may still be in the minus figures in the Jura and Savoie departments, particularly at higher altitudes.

Some forecasts are predicting a slight increase in temperatures on Wednesday, however the change will only be minor and by Thursday snows will continue to fall.

Snow on the way

Monday’s snow will be mostly consigned mostly to mountainous regions in the east (particularly the Alps), where snow will fall in most places 500m above sea level.

As the week progresses – and temperatures drop further – snow will begin to fall at lower and lower altitudes, as well as with increasing vigour in the higher mountains.

By Wednesday, most places in the east should have seen some snowfall, and in the centre of the country, hilly areas may see small patches of snow.

At the highest levels, between 30cm and 50cm of snow could cumulatively fall before the weekend.

In the west, however, temperatures are still too high for any snow.

The presence of the snow means warnings for avalanches and icy roads/black ice will become more frequent.

You can keep up with weather warnings in your department using the Météo France website.

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