Storms in south as cold winds from storm Boris set to hit France

Alerts have been raised in the south-east of France as cold winds associated with storm Boris move inland from the Mediterranean sea this afternoon.

Tier-three orange alerts for both stormy weather and heavy rainfall are in place for the north of Corsica from 20:00 onwards.

Tier-two warnings for these conditions are already in place in both the north and south of the island. 

Storm warnings at a tier-two level are also in place across the entire Provence-Alpes-Côte-D'Azur region, and will remain in place throughout the day.

Read more: Storms in France: what to do if at home, out walking or in car

The alerts may increase in intensity later in the day, depending on the passage of the storms, which are expected to reach coastal areas from the early afternoon.

Storm Boris has so far wreaked havoc in central and eastern Europe, causing at least 16 deaths and tens of thousands of people to be evacuated.

30mm of rain per hour

Up to 30 mm of rainfall per hour may fall on parts of the Var and Alpes-Maritimes departments this afternoon, and there is also a risk of hail at the height of the storms.

Runoff from the rain may cause flooding, particularly in the hilly and mountainous areas of the region, but so far no official flood warnings have been given on the mainland.

Gusts of up to 90 km/h are also expected in coastal areas, although the storms should die down by the evening.

In Corsica, however, the fiercest storms will begin around 21:00 and last overnight. Rainfall is again expected to reach up to 30 mm per hour.

Hail may also fall at the height of the storm, particularly on the north east of the island. 

You can keep up to date with all official weather warnings via the official Météo France website.