Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Issued Across Multiple French Departments
Orange alerts issued for severe thunderstorms affecting several departments in France.
Key Points
- • Six departments are under orange alert for thunderstorms as of July 19.
- • Expect strong winds, hail, and heavy rainfall through the day.
- • Western regions show improving weather, lifting alerts in some areas.
- • More severe thunderstorms anticipated on July 20 across central and eastern France.
On July 19, 2025, Météo France has placed six departments in the Centre-East of France under an orange alert due to severe thunderstorms expected throughout the day. The departments affected include Ain, Isère, Allier, Loire, Puy-de-Dôme, and Rhône, with Haute-Loire, Ardèche, and Drôme added to the alert by 10 AM as storms intensified. Meteorologists anticipate violent weather phenomena, including strong wind gusts, hail, and heavy rainfall.
The thunderstorms are forecasted to progress northeastward, accumulating rainfall totals of 15 to 30 mm, with potential localized disruptions expected in areas bracing for severe weather. Meanwhile, conditions in western regions, such as Normandy and Brittany, are improving, lifting alerts after experiencing rainfall amounts of 20 to 60 mm over 12 hours.
In Ardèche, storms began at 10:00 AM with expectations of considerable electrical activity and winds reaching up to 80 km/h. Additional thunderstorms could follow in the afternoon, with safety messages from local prefectures urging residents to remain vigilant amid these evolving conditions.
Looking ahead, meteorologists predict a continuation of unstable weather into Sunday, July 20, with additional severe thunderstorms expected across central and eastern France, potentially bringing hail and wind gusts of up to 90 km/h. High temperatures prior to the storms may reach between 30 and 33°C in eastern locales before dropping significantly.