“Louis” depression: 19 departments placed on orange alert for violent winds

Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credits: BOUILLAND Stéphane / Hemis.fr / hemis.fr / Hemis via AFP 5:36 p.m., February 21, 2024

Météo France has placed 19 departments of Île-de-France, Normandy and Hauts-de-France on orange violent wind alert for Friday. Orange rain-flood vigilance will also concern Deux-Sèvres and Vendée. This turbulent weather, mixing wind and rain, will be accompanied by a return of snow to the mountains. The departments (75,92,93,94,77,78,91 and 95), Normandy (50,14,61,76 and 27) and Hauts are affected by gales in Île-de-France. -de-France (59,62,80,60 and 02) as well as Eure-et-Loir (28).

21 departments in Orange (https://t.co/CSYEovTI83) pic.twitter.com/1SLZi45A2d

— VigiMétéoFrance (@VigiMeteoFrance) February 21, 2024

Violent gusts of up to 120 km/h near the coast

In the morning, gray and rainy weather will affect the entire northern half of the country as well as the Alpine arc where it will snow from 1600m. The southwest wind will be present with gusts to 70 to 80 km/h, 60 to 70 km/h in the Northeast. In the afternoon, the "Louis" depression will deepen and generate violent winds from the beginning of the afternoon until the end of the evening in the departments placed in orange and which will be swept away by a passage of heavier rain associated with violent gusts up to 90 to 110 km/h or even 120 near the coast. Departments 79 and 85 will see accumulations of up to 30 to 50 mm locally 60 mm.

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This rainy and windy spell will extend across regions from the North-East to the South-West with gusts up to 70 to 90 km/h and even peaks at 100 km/h in the evening near the Pyrenees. At the back it will be unstable weather alternating clearings, sleet and even sleet with gusts of up to 90/110 km/h on the Atlantic coast and the English Channel, and 80/90 km/h inland. In the evening, acceleration of the Tramontane which reaches 90/100 km/h at peak while the wind will drop a notch on the Atlantic coast and the English Channel.

Temperatures will also drop, with a rain-snow limit dropping to 800-1000m in the evening and following night and heavy snowfall in the Alps. Despite a cooling, temperatures will remain generally mild with minimums ranging from 6 to 9 degrees, 2 to 4 in the Massif Central and 10 to 12 across the Mediterranean arc. The maximums will range from 12 to 15 degrees, 16 to 18 in Corsica.