A first episode of snow is forecast for a large part of France this Thursday. From Brittany to Alsace, 32 departments are placed on orange snow-ice vigilance from Thursday morning and until at least midnight. A thin layer of snow and ice may make the roadway slippery. Consequently, the authorities are calling for vigilance and school transport will not circulate in four Normandy departments and in Eure-et-Loir.
32 departments on orange snow-ice alert
In anticipation of this snowy episode, Météo-France places 32 departments on orange “snow-ice” vigilance from Thursday morning 6 a.m. They are located on a wide strip going from Côtes-d'Armor to Haut-Rhin, but also Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. “Snowfall all the way to the plains is forecast between the end of the night from Wednesday to Thursday and the evening of Thursday, from Brittany/Normandy to Center-Val-de-Loire, via Île-de-France , and up to Burgundy/Franche-Comté“, indicates Météo-France.
The organization waits “2 to 5 cm in the plain, locally up to 10 cm above 200/300m”. Up to 10 cm of snow is, for example, expected in Lozère and up to 20 cm in the east of Franche-Comté and in Alsace. In Ile-de-France, “we expect 1 to 3 cm, locally 5 to 7 cm in the south of the region.” Snow will also affect “northern and central Brittany (two to five centimeters) and the interior of Normandy where accumulations could reach 10 cm on the Norman hills”.
In addition, 17 coastal departments of Pays de la Loire and Gironde up to the north of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes will be placed on orange “wind” vigilance from Thursday morning at 8 a.m., indicates Météo-France.
Eric Turpin
School transport canceled in four Normandy departments and in Eure-et-Loir
Roads may be slippery in these departments Thursday and Friday morning. The authorities are calling for the greatest vigilanceto limit or postpone travel. In the event of travel, several prefectures advise providing emergency lighting and a reserve of drinking water in the event of prolonged immobilization, and also taking warm clothing, blankets and food.
In Normandyno school buses will run all day Thursday in Orne, Calvados, Manche and Eure. Commercial coaches will also remain stationary in these four Normandy departments, with the exception of a few lines.
In Eure-et-Loir also, school transport will be suspended on Thursday in the Perche sector, where expected snow depths could reach up to 10 cm in the most hilly areas, according to the prefecture.
In Ile-de-Francethe Paris police prefect has decided to lower the traffic speed by 20km/h and to prohibit overtaking maneuvers for vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes on the region's main roads, from 11 hours Thursday.
Moreover, a call for a strike at the SNCF will cause disruptions on the rails, with one Intercité in two and on average 7 TER out of 10 in circulation. Traffic will be “almost normal on the TGVs”.
