Weekend weather: February cold snap now unlikely

The first weekend of February will see mostly mild and damp conditions across France, with the severe cold initially forecast now largely avoided. 

Temperatures will remain near seasonal averages, with blustery wind and widespread showers, says state forecaster Météo France. 

Snow will be limited to higher ground in the Alps and Pyrenees, above 800-1,000m, and amounts will be modest.

Friday, January, 30

A weather front will move across the west and south-west, bringing persistent rain to Brittany, the Atlantic coast and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. 

Gusts will reach 90-100 km/h along exposed coastlines. 

The east will remain mostly dry, with clear skies over Provence and isolated snow at 600-1,200m across the Alps and Vosges. 

Highs will range from 3C in the north-east to 11C in the south-west, with lows of 3-9C nationwide.

Saturday, January 31

Morning showers will continue over the Gulf of Lion and south-western regions, including the Pays basque, with strong winds persisting along the coasts. 

Central and northern France will see cloudier but generally dry conditions, with local fog and mist. 

Temperatures will rise to 8-14C in many regions, with cooler conditions in the north-east at 3-5C and milder weather along Brittany’s coast around 10C.

Snowfall remains confined to the Pyrenees above 900m.

Sunday February 1

A weak Atlantic front will gradually advance eastwards, producing light rain from Haute-Normandie to the Beauce. 

The Mediterranean coast will enjoy clearer spells and highs of 12-15C, while most inland areas will remain grey and damp. 

Night-time lows will fall to around 0-4C in the north-east, 4-9C elsewhere. 

Snow will be confined to high altitudes in the Pyrenees and Massif central. Winds will ease but the country will remain under predominantly oceanic influence.

Outlook

The anticipated early-February cold snap is now unlikely. 

Temperatures will hover around seasonal norms for most of the country, with mild conditions in coastal and southern areas. 

Snowfall is expected to remain light and restricted to mountain regions. Conditions next week are forecast to remain wet at times in the west, but severe frosts are no longer expected.

Highs for the weekend will generally range from 6-15C, with lows near 0-9C. Only the highest valleys and peaks will see significant snow, and even here, accumulation will be limited. 

Coastal regions, particularly Brittany and the Mediterranean, will remain mild and relatively dry.