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In November, the weather surprised the French by dropping snowflakes. The photographs of Paris enveloped in a white coat have logically gone around the world. But, after that, gentleness was finally in order.
This logically worries ski resorts, as well as fans of cold and snow. We have good news for them. Indeed, before it ends, the year 2024 will once again witness a snowy episode. Are we going to spend the Christmas holidays like in a good TV movie? Let’s take a closer look at the weather forecast.
Weather: maritime polar air arrives in France
From the second half of the week, a northwesterly flow will bring maritime polar air. Therefore, this will cause a notable drop in temperatures to return to levels consistent with seasonal norms. So it’s almost the end of the sweetness. However, in this context, precipitation will take the form of snow at different times.
The weather forecast speaks of a first snowy episode between Thursday evening and Friday. A second episode will take place later, between Sunday and Monday. These snowfalls come at just the right time for ski resorts, which will benefit from ideal snow cover to welcome vacationers this weekend.
To have
Weather: snow, cold, ice… Towards a white Christmas Eve and December 25?
For the first cold spell, the weather forecast tells us that precipitation will first fall in the form of rain. Gradually, the arrival of cold air at altitude will transform the rain into snow. Afterwards, from Thursday afternoon, snow will appear from 900 meters on the Massif Central, 1300 meters on the Pyrenees and approximately 1600 meters on the Northern Alps and Isère.
A second wave of snow before Christmas
On Sunday, a new active disturbance will bring precipitation. Just like Thursday, precipitation will start as rain, except over the Alps. During the afternoon and evening, a cooling will cause the precipitation to shift again to snow on all areas.
On Monday, the return of a trailing sky will be accompanied by heavy showers and violent winds from the north to northwest. These new snowfalls are expected to add up to 30 cm to the Jura and Auvergne and almost a meter of fresh snow to the Alps.
The weather on Christmas Day, on the other hand, will be milder. Indeed, forecasts announce the return at a calmer time. But if we talk about snowfall on the mountain ranges, will the flakes fall on the plains?
Any hope of seeing snow on the plains?
Let’s not play with your hopes. Indeed, in the plain, temperatures will be too mild to allow snowfall significant. However, a few flakes could appear on Sunday evening and overnight, locally, on the Normandy hills and the plateaus of the Grand Est.
To have
Weather: the arrival of a maritime polar air mass will turn everything upside down, forecasts for the coming days
Despite these rare exceptions, the French plains will not experience a white Christmas this year. This in itself is not a surprise. The weather on December 24 and 25 has been exceptionally mild for years. In the South, some French people can even have an aperitif outside, in the sun.
But if snow lovers in the plains will be disappointed, this weather reassures the ski resorts. They will have optimal snow cover to accommodate vacationers. in the best conditions.
