Storm Caetano has been affecting France since Thursday morning and Île-de-France is not spared. The first snowflakes fell at the start of the day and spared no department in the Paris region, causing some disruption to public transport but also to the roads in the Paris region. Up to 12 cm of snow was observed in Yvelines, Val-d'Oise, and Essonne, compared to 3 cm in the capital.
In its latest bulletin, published Thursday at 4 p.m., Météo France decided to extend the orange ice snow vigilance for all departments of Île-de-France until Friday noon. Disruptions will still be expected in the region, particularly on school transport. We take stock.
What weather can you expect?
“The snowfall weakens in the evening from the north until evacuating towards the south/southeast around 8 p.m.” Thursday evening, indicates Météo France. The snow that fell throughout the day could well hold on the sidewalks and roads given the temperatures expected overnight from Thursday to Friday.
“Due to the expected negative temperatures, between -1°C and -5°C, the snow remains on the ground and refreezing is expected in areas where it has partially melted, serious slippery phenomena”, warns the weather forecast site , which fears the presence of black ice in the Paris region on Friday.
“In addition, snow showers are forecast from the northwest in the second part of the night from Thursday to Friday and persist during the morning of Friday,” adds Météo France. Thus, up to 3 additional cm of snow could be added to Thursday's totals, “but in a fairly heterogeneous and localized manner. »
What disruptions in school transport?
Faced with the risks incurred with possible snow showers and the presence of ice on the roads, vigilance will be required on Friday. School transport will be suspended in all departments of the Greater Crown, namely Essonne, Yvelines, Val-d'Oise and Seine-et-Marne. The four prefectures each announced it in press releases released late Thursday afternoon. The Essonne prefecture is the only one to have specified that the establishments would remain open.
And on public transport?
RATP and SNCF have not yet communicated about possible disruptions for Friday. But users are encouraged to find out in real time, via the sites and applications concerned, about the state of traffic, especially since the latter was severely disrupted in the Paris region after the first snowfall.
Several bus, tram and transilien lines saw their traffic disrupted late Thursday afternoon due to snowfall and gusts of wind. The T13, which connects Saint-Cyr to Saint-Germain-en-Laye in Yvelines, has not been running since mid-afternoon and will not resume until Friday, due to a fall of a tree on the ways. Tram lines 2, 4, 6 and 11 also saw their traffic disrupted on Thursday due to bad weather.
Lines H, J, L, P of the Transilien also slowed down on Thursday, the weather conditions having added to the strike movement within the SNCF. In Paris and the inner suburbs, 35 bus lines were also affected by disruptions, such as the TVM, or lines 40, 47, 102 and 114.
Vigilance on the roads
Ice could be present on departmental and national roads, leading the authorities to call on Ile-de-France motorists to be careful. On sections of motorways in the Paris region, a “overtaking ban for heavy goods vehicles and speed limits for all vehicles” has been put in place, VINCI Autoroutes recalled in a press release.
