The weather will turn wintery this weekend. Polar air will affect France from Sunday, contrasting with the relative mildness of early December. Heavy snowfall is expected in the mountains, even at low altitudes.
The end of year holidays are approaching and good news is looming for mountain lovers: a significant white coat is expected for the weekend, especially at low altitude.
Until then, temperatures will be relatively mild for the season. This Thursday, December 5, a disturbance brings rain, in mild and humid air, which will last until Saturday in the northern three-quarters of France. “Only the Mediterranean rim remains largely spared,” indicates Météo-France.
According to La Chaîne Météo, temperatures will be 2 to 3°C above normal for the start of December. But on Sunday, a descent of polar air will cause the mercury to drop in France.
Sweetness until Saturday
During the day on Saturday a windy disturbance will impact the country, particularly the northwest. Scattered rain and showers are expected throughout the territory. “It will still be mild in the morning, but in the afternoon, with the rain and the wind, it will feel very gloomy and cold in the north. From 4 to 9°C in the morning, it will be 7 to 12°C in the morning. afternoon, up to 15°C on the French Riviera”, predicts La Chaîne Météo.
The increasingly cold air will rush in from the far north at the end of the day. During the night, “a cold front will cross the country from north to south and cooling will settle in behind,” writes Météo-France.
A cold snap on Sunday
The mercury will fall with, from Sunday, temperatures below seasonal norms. “The afternoon temperatures will range from 2 to 10°C generally from the north-east to the south-west, locally a little closer to the Mediterranean”, details Météo-France, which specifies that “frosts mornings without notable intensity may appear in the plains.
Rain will occur over a wide band going from the Pyrenees to the northeast quarter, only the Atlantic coast, the Channel coasts and the Mediterranean rim will be spared. It may feel quite cold due to the sometimes strong wind which will blow this Sunday.
Snow, even at low altitude
This change in weather will bring snow. “If snow is not ruled out sporadically in the plains, it will appear especially in the mountains and up to low altitudes, allowing all the massifs to be covered in a thick white coat two weeks before the Christmas holidays “, writes Météo-France.
According to La Chaîne Météo, we can expect a snow cover from 700 to 800 meters, “sometimes less in the center east, the region most exposed to snow at very low altitude”.
Then, around 1,000 meters of altitude, “we can expect 10–15cm, sometimes 20cm on the Vosges, the Jura, the Northern Alps and the north of the Central massif” and more than 30cm at 1,500 meters.
“Around 1,800 m, we could reach 1 meter of snow in the Alps and the Pyrenees, with the formation of snowdrifts and dangerous snow cornices,” warns La Chaîne Météo.
“Finally, at very high altitude in the Northern Alps, thicknesses of 2 meters of snow are plausible, superimposed on already abundant snow up there since the beginning of autumn,” continues the meteorological organization.
Next week will be cool
This wintry weather is expected to continue early next week. According to La Chaîne Météo, the risk of snow in the plains will even increase from Monday. However, “with slightly positive temperatures during the day, this snow will melt easily, but could hold from the first heights such as on the Lorraine plateaus (at 300-400 meters), or even on the Morvan massif”.
Subsequently, the flow oriented towards the northeast sector will still bring cold but less humid conditions. “Temperatures will go 4 to 6°C below seasonal averages,” indicates La Chaîne Météo. For now, Wednesday is expected to be the coldest day of the week. Milder conditions are expected after mid-December.
