Weather in France September 9 – 13: Forecast by area this week

A mass of cold air moving south from the arctic circle will cause temperatures to drop sharply in France this week. 

The bitter winds are forecast to bring rain to many areas, as well as snow at higher altitudes. 

Strong storms are unlikely this week, however.

Monday September 9 

The cold winds will begin to creep over the Belgian border on Monday, bringing rainfall to areas north of the Seine. 

Showers will also hit much of France throughout the day, including in the east, south-west near the Pyrénées foothills, and the Alps. Temperatures will remain at levels similar to the weekend, with the winds not yet reaching their full potency. 

The national average temperature will be 18.1C, compared to the usual average of 18.7C for September 9. 

In the south, temperatures of 20C or more are likely in the afternoon, particularly along the Mediterranean. 

Read more: Photo: 50 metre hole cuts road in two after violent storms in south-west France

Tuesday September 10 

Atlantic winds are set to briefly cover much of the country, but will be less powerful than their polar counterparts.

The weather will therefore remain largely calm, with the exception of some showers in the east. 

The north and west will be cloudy, with daily highs still hovering between 17C - 20C.

In the south, Mistral and Tramontane winds will remain strong, but skies will be clear and temperatures will rise to above 20C, and over 25C along the Mediterranean. 

No weather warnings are in place for the beginning of the week by state forecaster Météo France. 

Wednesday September 11 

The polar winds affecting the north of France will sweep across most of the country on Wednesday, causing the start of a sharp temperature drop. 

Bordeaux and Lyon will see highs of 20C, and south of these cities temperatures will roughly remain between 20C and 25C, slightly higher around Nice. 

In the north, however, most areas will struggle to break above 16C, with highs closer to 11C in Lille and along the German border.

Showers will follow the path of the winds, moving progressively south throughout the day and hitting almost all of the country except the Mediterranean coastline. 

Snow is forecast at altitudes of 2,000 m and above in the Pyrénées, the first snowfall of the autumn/winter season. 

Read more: ‘Soaked like soup’: 7 French expressions to use for wet weather

Thursday September 12 

The drop in temperatures will pick up pace on Thursday, with the polar winds covering most of the country. 

A contrasting high-pressure wind from the Azores will clash with the bitter arctic winds, causing the start of prolonged rainfall in the north, however other than this skies will be mostly clear. 

Storms are not currently forecast, however snow is expected to fall in the Alps at altitudes of 1,800 m and higher. 

Temperatures will be 20C or lower everywhere except Nice and pockets of the western Mediterranean coast. 

Friday September 13 

Similar conditions are expected on Friday, with rain covering the south (including Toulouse and Nice in the evening) as well as the east. 

Temperatures will range from 5C to 12C in the morning, and between 12C and 18C in the afternoon, with only Nice and Montpellier expected to see highs of 20C or more. 

Friday’s predicted national average temperature is 11.7C – this is around 6C colder than the average for September 13 in France, and closer to levels seen at the start of November. 

However, temperatures will begin to rise slowly over the weekend, as the polar air becomes less fierce, and by the middle of next week temperatures will be about the same as mid-September averages.