Langres, one of the sunniest towns in the northern half

Friday 15th November 2024 05:46 AM

The duration of sunshine was eight times greater in Langres than in Dijon during the first decade of November 2024! A situation not as unusual as it seems.

Météo France recalled this in a recent bulletin. From 1^is As of November 11, 2024, the entire northern half of France experienced gray weather, with the city of Rennes, for example, only seeing the sun for 25 minutes. The entire northern half? No. A few pieces of this territory north of the Loire are still resisting the gray invader. And among them, Langres!

During this period, the city experienced fifteen hours and 40 minutes of sunshine. Less than 70 km to the south, the people of Dijon will have only seen the sun for a little less than two hours. An unusual situation at first glance, but it is not that unusual. “The anticyclonic conditions explain why the humidity remains in the valleys, but Langres is located 500 meters high and is therefore above the gray,” indicates Alexandre Berger, president of the Haute-Marne Climatology Association.

Soon the snowflakes

This anticyclonic period is exceptional. While this year has been particularly rainy, and the southern half of the country experienced impressive volumes of precipitation in mid-October leading to deadly floods (seven deaths in Ardèche, Gard and Hérault), it has not no rain – or almost nothing – in Haute-Marne since October 12.

A good time to take beautiful photos, as evening falls, like here in Chaumont. (Photo L. Fontaine).

Temperature-wise, this autumn can also be described as particularly mild. “Plus 2°C on average above normal”specifies Alexandre Berger. Also in October 2024, a value of 24.8°C was recorded in Louvemont. It was not until this week that the first notable frosts were observed: – 2.6°C in Auberive. “But in Langres, it hasn’t frozen yet”underlines the president of the association.

However, this situation is expected to change very soon. “From Monday, we will experience a polar shift”explains Alexandre Berger. This will cause, for three days – from November 20 to 22 – the appearance of snow in Haute-Marne. And this time, on the heights. Before a rapid softening of temperatures.