Winds up to 120km/h set to hit France - see which regions will be impacted
Thunderstorms forecast in several areas over the bank holiday weekend
Gales may reach up to 120km/h in areas of Occitanie
agrope/Shutterstock.
Strong winds of up to 120km/h and thunderstorms are forecast across parts of France this weekend, with southern regions expected to be hardest hit from Saturday.
The start of May, marked by bank holidays and long weekends, will begin under unstable weather conditions, which are expected to worsen on Saturday, May 2, with thunderstorms developing in several regions.
The bad weather is linked to the arrival of cold air from the Bay of Biscay, causing strong winds to buffet southern France.
As the system deepens on Friday and Saturday, the most exposed areas will be those located along typical wind corridors such as coastal and highland areas, and the Rhône Valley.
Strong winds forecast on May 1
According to current model forecasts, the strongest gales are expected in:
Occitanie, especially Aude, Hérault and Tarn, where gusts of the south-easterly Autan wind may exceed 120km/h in exposed areas
Provence, with strong southeasterly winds along coastal areas and inland valleys
Corsica, particularly Balagne (Haute-Corse) and the western coast, where gusts may reach 80km/h
Coastal areas of Provence and Occitanie may also experience rough sea conditions, with strong winds making navigation more difficult for boats and ferries.
Below, the interactive map allows you to track the evolution of wind gusts hour by hour throughout the May Day weekend.
Source: windy.com
Saturday is expected to be the turning point of the episode. As the low-pressure system shifts, winds will strengthen further and gradually change direction.
Thunderstorms are forecast in the north and south-west during the afternoon and evening.
From Sunday (May 3) onwards, conditions should gradually improve in western France, although instability may persist in the south-east of the country at the beginning of next week.
