French weekend weather forecast November 1 - 2: rain and some snow

Rain is in store this weekend for most in France, with showers and persistent downfalls set to hit most of the country. 

In the east, the rain will be particularly strong on Sunday, and bring snow at lower altitudes to the Alps. 

Temperatures will remain above average for the season, despite a drop on Sunday.

Friday October 31 

Early morning rainfall around Normandy should clear by midday, however most areas in the north will remain under cloud for much of the day. 

Parts of Hauts-de-France may not see any sunshine and gales of up to 77 km/h are possible along the north and north-west coast.

Further south, clouds will become sparser, leading to sunny skies along the Mediterranean coastline. 

Chilly morning temperatures in the east will quickly make way for highs of up to 17C in Strasbourg, with similar temperatures forecast across most of the north. 

In the south, highs of 20C - 22C are possible, rising to 23C in the south-west. 

For those planning to take part in trick or treat-ing this evening, rain is unlikely to return so costumes should remain dry.

Saturday November 1 

Cemetery trips as part of Toussaint commemorations may be marred by rain, with showers expected across most of France. 

Starting in the north-west, rain will move to the south-west, centre, east, and cover most of the north throughout the day, with only the central and eastern Mediterranean expected to remain dry. 

Temperatures will reach up to 15C - 16C in the north, rising to 20C in the south, although in most places persistent winds and humid weather will counteract any chance to benefit from the warmer than average heat.

Sunday November 2 

Conditions will worsen on Sunday in most areas. 

Heavy rain and clouds arriving from the UK may hit the north and west of France, although this is not yet certain. 

Areas that saw rainfall on Saturday will continue to see showers but this will coincide with a drop in temperatures and chillier winds. 

The Mediterranean is also likely to see showers across the entire coastline. 

In the east, heavy rain is expected throughout the day, and may lead to weather alerts being raised – check with state forecaster Météo France nearer the time for official warnings. 

The rain will bring more snow to the Alps. 

Temperatures will drop to around 12C to 14C in the north, and 15C to 16C in the south (Nice and the Alpes-Maritimes will be an exception at around 18C). 

Early forecasts for next week show a return of the north-south divide, with sun and clear skies in the south and rain across much of the north, before a cloudy if drier midweek.