This Thursday, November 21, 2024, at around 9 a.m., the first snowflakes appeared. Scattered, at first. Then more and more dense, until forming a first white coat on the roofs.
Such a phenomenon is rather rare in Tours and it was no great surprise that around 11 a.m. the snow stopped falling.
Between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., Thursday November 21, 2024, the roadway was very slippery on the banks of the Loire.
© (Photo NR, Olivier Brosset)
“It’s a somewhat unusual weather situation”explains Kevin Fillin, forecaster at Météo Center. “We have a cold air disturbance this morning, with snow moving north this afternoon and a warmer air mass arriving from the south. » That's why the snow didn't last.
Mid-morning this Thursday, the snow held for a good while in Tours.
© (Photo NR, Olivier Brosset)
“Apart from a few flakes last year, Touraine had not experienced a good snowfall for five or six years. The last time it held was in 2016”he remembers.
The snow, heavy and sticky, quickly turned into rain.
© (Photo NR, Olivier Brosset)
He continues by specifying that although the afternoon was rather calm, “strong wind gusts of up to 80 or 90 km/h will arrive from the south of the department (Caetano storm, Editor’s note)to weaken and no longer reach 60 to 70 km/h towards the north of Touraine. »
Watch out for possible ice this Friday morning
Other developments expected in the evening of Thursday after the warm afternoon: “A further drop in temperatures is expected this evening (THURSDAY) and overnight, with possible frost this Friday morning. » The greatest caution is therefore required due to possible icy conditions, “temperatures below zero being possible in the department”.
At the bottom of the Trench, the Fil Bleu agents cleared the metal part on the ground which allows the tram to run without a catenary between the stops at Place Choiseul and Tours station.
© (Photo NR, Olivier Brosset)
This snow, to which Touraine is less and less accustomed, has as usual delighted, surprised but also annoyed those who are forced to go about their business.
In terms of school transport in the department, “regular lines, Rémi school bus lines [ont circulé] Thursday November 21 »specifies the website of the Interurban Mobility Network (Rémi) Centre-Val de Loire. There does not appear to have been any disruption or suspension locally.
Tram traffic disrupted
In Tours, tram traffic was disrupted and travelers coming from the north of the city were forced to get off at the Place Choiseul stop (last stop north of the line where the train is electrically powered by catenary) and to continue on foot. In the opposite direction, it was at the Tours station stop that traffic had to be interrupted.
“There is no contact with the ground”explains one of the Fil Bleu staff, busy clearing the snow at the Wilson Bridge.
Advice of the day given by a tram user: “You have to follow in the footsteps of those who went before. »
© (Photo NR, Olivier Brosset)
Salting the roads tonight
In charge of roads, the Department has put its agents on alert, particularly in the northern half of the department affected by the snow phenomenon. A phenomenon which could happen again this night, the Indre-et-Loire departmental council (CD 37) is told.
Few disruptions to report on the road network, since “only the north-east territorial planning service of Château-Renault came out, to salt the D910 between Château-Renault and Parçay-Meslay”indicates the departmental council.
Who adds: “Tonight, between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m., 1,400 km of the department’s priority network will be salted” (i.e. a third of the 3,600 km that CD 37 manages). That is to say that exceptionally, the winter system will be activated even though it is only put in place in December.
A road salting operation is necessary given the risks of frost and ice forecast.
On Thursday, the emergency services recorded only seven road accidents linked to bad weather, six trees and two power lines fallen on the public highway.
Also note the arrival of the Caetano storm, which mobilized nearly 150 Enedis agents in the Centre-Val de Loire region and deprived some 3,800 Tourange residents of electricity on Thursday (according to the report established at 6 p.m.).
