Severe Thunderstorms Hit France, Prompting Orange Alerts
Severe thunderstorms across France lead to multiple orange alerts due to heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Key Points
- • Severe thunderstorms affected France from June 11 to June 13, 2025.
- • Orange alerts issued for 29 departments by Météo-France on June 13, 2025.
- • Clermont-Ferrand recorded over 70mm of rain in one hour, leading to flooding.
- • Wind gusts reached 123 km/h in Rouen, with hailstones exceeding 6cm reported.
France has been grappling with severe thunderstorms that began on June 11 and continued through June 13, 2025. Regions such as Clermont-Ferrand were particularly hard-hit, witnessing over 70mm of rain in just one hour, resulting in flash flooding. By June 13, Météo-France had issued orange weather alerts for 29 departments, signaling the risk of violent storms, especially in the northwest and southwest parts of the country.
Strong wind gusts, reaching up to 123 km/h in Rouen, and reports of hailstones exceeding 6cm in diameter in various areas underscored the severity of these storms. A supercell thunderstorm in Bordeaux brought additional hail damage. The intense storms initially affected areas in Brittany and Manche, but the situation escalated significantly with damaging events reported in regions including Mayenne and Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
In response to the ongoing threats, Météo-France issued continued warnings, urging residents to stay alert during these dangerous weather conditions. The aftermath of the storms has prompted further caution, with alerts extending to areas such as Seine-et-Marne, effective from June 14 to June 15, advising residents to modify their travel plans and activities accordingly.
As the storms progressed, they continued to pose risks of heavy rainfall and damaging winds across the country, necessitating continued monitoring by Météo-France and adherence to public safety advice.