All of the departments of Île-de-France were placed on orange snow-ice alert by Météo-France for the day of Saturday January 4. This alert follows the arrival of a winter disturbance which will also affect a large part of the north and north-east of France.
According to the latest Météo-France bulletin, this episode will begin at the end of the afternoon with moderate snowfall which will quickly evolve into freezing rain, thus creating particularly dangerous conditions on roads and infrastructure. “A disturbance associated with a lot of mild air will sweep across the entire country from the southwest to the northeast,” specifies the meteorological institute.
Temperatures between -2°C and -7°C
According to Météo-France readings, temperatures will oscillate between -2°C and -7°C across the entire Île-de-France region and neighboring departments. These winter temperatures will encourage the formation of ice as soon as precipitation hits the ground.
Precipitation will start with light snowfall can quickly cover soils by 1 to 5 cm, particularly in rural areas and hilly areas. But it is above all the arrival of freezing rains that is causing concern among the authorities. These rains, falling on frozen surfaces, will quickly form patches of ice likely to make roads impassable for several hours.
“Ice, even in small quantities, can cause serious traffic difficulties, particularly during the early hours of the morning,” Bison Futé alert, which recommends that motorists limit their travel and adapt their speed to the conditions.
Precautions to take
Faced with these conditions, the authorities recall the essential precautions to adopt to limit the risk of accidents:
- Postpone non-urgent travel, particularly in the evening and early at night.
- Equip vehicles with winter tires or chains in risk areas.
- Adapt your speed and respect safety distances on the road.
- Avoid secondary routes, which are often more exposed to the formation of ice.
“We advise users to equip themselves with snow chains when traveling in rural areas and to keep themselves regularly informed of weather developments,” indicates the forecast service.
This episode of ice and snow will mainly affect Île-de-France during the night from Saturday to Sunday. The improvement in weather conditions should begin in the early morning, with temperatures expected to rise in the afternoon. The mild air will gradually gain ground, putting an end to the icy episode.
