France is experiencing an “extended wave of thunderstorms”. “The most virulent thunderstorms are now organised around a line running from the Jura to Luxembourg”, says Météo-France

The “vigilance orange” for thunderstorms, which used to apply to 34 départements, now only applies to 14 départements for this Sunday 30 June, after a strong stormy spell crossed most of the country, according to Météo-France.

“The thunderstorms are gradually moving northwards and eastwards”, said the weather institute in its bulletin updated at 10pm on Saturday.

The departments concerned are : Jura, Doubs, Territoire de Belfort, Haute-Marne, Aube, Haute-Saône, Ardennes, Marne, Meuse, Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Moselle, Vosges and Meurthe-et-Moselle.

In the afternoon of Saturday, torrential thunderstorms hit the Tarn department, where 61 mm of rain was recorded in one hour at Dourgne, 56 mm at Montredon, and 66.6 mm in three hours at the same location.

Thunderstorms with rainfall intensities of 20 to 30 mm/h were also recorded in the Lot département in the early afternoon, according to Météo-France. A wind gust of 130 km/h was recorded at Tonnerre in the Yonne département and 107 km/h at Troyes in the Aube département. Large hailstones were seen in Meuse.

For the départements under alert, the weather service is warning of a “severe summer thunderstorm situation requiring particular vigilance given the geographical extent and intensity of the phenomena forecast”.