Temperatures to drop as low as -10C: French weather outlook January 13 - 17
Several departments have enacted cold weather plans
Tuesday will be the coldest day of the week during the cold snap
Andi Po / Shutterstock
A week of calm but bitterly cold weather is in store for France as weather patterns from the British Isles push down and cover the country.
Several departments have activated their ‘grand froid’ cold weather plans in light of the mini cold-snap and temperatures is expected to drop as low as -10C overnight in parts of eastern France.
Monday January 13
Morning frost will be widespread this week, particularly in the north.
There are no warnings over snowy/icy road conditions, but drivers should still take caution.
Fog and mist may be a problem in the south-west, although along the Mediterranean coast it will be sunny but colder than usual for this time of year.
Sunny skies will cover the north and centre despite the cold.
Temperatures will be low across the board, only reaching 5C in Brittany and the south-west – the Mediterranean coastline will see highs of 10C (15C in Nice) but will feel colder due to winds.
Around 30 departments have ‘grand froid’ plans today, at a tier-two yellow level.
State forecaster Météo France says the warning “informs the authorities and the public of cold snaps likely to have an impact on health, and reminds them of the advice issued by the public authorities to protect themselves.”
Authorities may enact special measures such as temporarily housing homeless people, and there is official advice for residents to keep warm. This includes:
Not overheating your home
Making sure your home is well ventilated to renew the air
Having your boiler serviced by a qualified professional and avoid the continuous use of fuel-burning auxiliary heating appliances; never use cookers, braziers, etc. for heating
Not blocking the air intakes in your home and ventilating your home for a few minutes, even in winter
Covering up properly, especially around the extremities and head where most body heat is lost, but also around the nose and mouth to reduce the amount of cold air you breathe
Wearing good footwear to avoid falling on snow or ice when outside
Once back indoors, eating properly and having a hot drink
Limiting physical exertion
Not taking infants and young children out, even if they are well protected.
For sensitive or vulnerable people: keeping in touch with your doctor and avoiding prolonged isolation
You can see the departments facing these cold snap warnings on the Météo France website.
Tuesday January 14
Similar conditions will persist on Tuesday, although there will be more morning fog in the north.
Read more: Driving through fog in France: rules and penalties for infractions
Morning temperatures of up to -6C in the central plains and east of France are expected.
Temperatures may be slightly higher in the daytime than on Tuesday – 8C in Brittany and the south-west, 9C in Normandy, and 15C in the Mediterranean – but these warmer temperatures will exist for shorter periods than on other days.
It will take a long time to reach these temperatures in the morning, and they will quickly drop in the evening, with almost all of the country seeing minus temperatures as night falls.
Temperatures may be bitterly cold in the south-west, where lows of -5C are possible in Toulouse.
Tuesday will be the coldest day of the cold snap, with a national average temperature of 0.7C – around 5C lower than the usual for mid-January.
Wednesday January 15
Conditions will be similar on Wednesday, although skies will be cloudier in the north (and fog may persist throughout the day).
Despite the clouds, no rain is forecast.
Generally, temperatures will remain stable in the daytime and evening, only dropping at night.
Thursday January 16
Thursday may see rain in the south, mostly near Perpignan, as disturbances from Spain move northwards.
This rainfall will take the form of showers, and is not expected to coincide with fierce storms. It will be cloudy over much of the south.
Friday January 17
The rain – if it arrives – will have dispersed by Friday, which will see typical January conditions in France.
Still chilly in the north, temperatures should reach around their winter average (a few degrees above freezing). It will be around 10C-15C in the south.
