Updated on 04/01/2025
Météo France has placed the Pas-de-Calais department on orange snow-ice alert for the night of Saturday January 4 to Sunday January 5, 2025, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Following a widespread cold air mass throughout Hauts-de-France, a disturbance will occur at the end of the day, associated with significantly milder air which will sweep across the region from the southwest to the north. -East. The meeting of these two air masses will lead to winter precipitation, initially in the form of a generally brief episode of snow, quickly followed by an evolution into more notable freezing rain.
In view of these weather conditions, Jacques Billant, prefect of Pas-de-Calais, asked state services to monitor developments in the situation with the greatest attention. THE elected officials of the department were also informed. The prefect calls on the inhabitants of Pas-de-Calais to exercise the greatest caution and to respect the instructions detailed below :
- stay at home as much as possible. In case of essential travel, prepare your trip and your itinerary;
- respect the diversions and traffic restrictions put in place;
- facilitate the passage of road and highway clearing equipment;
- Keep informed of developments in the weather situation at http://vigilance.meteofrance.com.
Reminder of the measures implemented yesterday for vulnerable people
- Extension of operating hours between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. of day centers located in the department (1 by district). Note that 4 already working 7 days a week (Arras, Béthune, Boulogne-sur-Mer and Montreuil-sur-Mer).
- Intensification of marauding (11 street teams: 1 by district, 2 on that of Lens and 2 mobile street teams in rural areas), in order to encourage people to accept accommodation.
- Mobilization of emergency accommodation places: the departmental stock has been maintained at a high level of 1 278 places. It should be noted that since 2022 all places open for the winter period have been maintained all year round. 38 additional places have also been open since 1is November.
- Precise instructions have been given to support all those who wish to do so. To this end, hotel nights can be mobilized in all the districts of Pas-de-Calais.
- The 7 departmental branches of the Integrated Reception and Orientation Service (SIAO) are fully mobilized to provide the most appropriate responses.
- The entire active reception and accommodation system in Pas-de-Calais mobilizes 47 million euros and relies on 160 dedicated professionals.
- The specific shelter system deployed for the migrant population present in Calais during periods of extreme cold has been activated. This system complements the daily shelter offered to migrants in the department's reception and situation examination centers (CAES). In 2024, more than 4 500 people have benefited from this system.
The situation is being monitored very carefully by state services. Other measures, particularly related to traffic management, could also be deployed today in anticipation of this meteorological episode.
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