Rainy start before temperature drop: French weekly weather outlook February 24 - 28

A varied week of weather is in store for France, as a rainy start turns into a peaceful if slightly chilly end. 

Intense weather conditions and associated warnings are not forecast, however the country sits between several major weather patterns, some of which may cause issues later in the week. 

Monday February 24

The week will start contrasted, rainy in the north and calm in the south. 

Rain will fall in a line north of roughly Nantes - Reims, although it should not be heavy. 

Sunshine in the south will be sporadic – skies will be grey despite the lack of rain in most areas – but more prominent in the south-west and along parts of the Mediterranean coast. 

Temperatures will remain high for the season following a burst of warm weather over the weekend, potentially reaching up to 20C in parts of the south-west and 16C in Lyon.

Highs of at least 12C/13C are expected everywhere despite the rain. 

This will be the warmest day of the week however, as temperatures will drop daily before they eventually fall slightly below seasonal averages at the end of the week.

Tuesday February 25

Monday’s rain will continue to fall in the north but also move east and south, affecting areas as far south as Nice and Toulouse with showers. 

Snow may fall at altitudes between 1,000m to 1,500m – although it is not expected in large quantities.

Sleet is also possible in the north and west during the morning.

Drivers should take caution in all of these areas, even if heightened warnings are not yet in place. 

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

The western coast will see an improvement in conditions by the afternoon, where it will be mostly sunny if not as warm as the day before. 

Highs throughout the day will drop by around 3C and 5C from Monday, however evening temperatures will stay mostly the same. 

Wednesday February 26 

Conditions will be similar to Wednesday in parts of the east and in the Pyrénées, with showers continuing and a chance of snowfall at altitudes of 1,000m. 

Elsewhere, rain is only expected in Brittany and pockets of east and central France, although cloud coverage will still be prominent. 

In the south, the Mistral and Tramontane winds will blow strongly, pushing away rainclouds, however in turn will bring a chill to the air along their path.

Temperatures will drop further in the east, with highs of around 6C around Strasbourg, but reach as high as 15C in Nice. Elsewhere, highs of between 9C and 12C are likely.

Thursday February 27

Incoming high-pressure Azore winds from the Atlantic will move in from the west, clearing the remaining cloud and rain coverage from most of the country except the north, where some rain in Normandy and Hauts-de-France is expected. 

The south will largely be sunny however this does not equate to an increase in overall temperatures, which will fall slightly from the day before and fall just under national averages for the end of February. 

This being said, highs at the peak of the day will be warmer across France even if lasting for a shorter time, between 9C and 14C, rising to 16C in Nice. 

Friday February 28 

Meteorologists are less sure over conditions on Friday, as several circulating patterns could significantly impact conditions. 

The most likely outcome is the formation of an Atlantic storm near the Pyrénées, which will move inwards hitting the mountain chain before moving along the Mediterranean. 

This will bring rain and cloud to the south, but leave the north dry if not cloudy. 

Friday will be the coolest day of the week, before temperatures begin to rise again over the weekend.