The coming week promises calmer weather thanks to the return of the Azores anticyclone. Temperatures are expected to rise to 30°C in the south of the country

After several weeks of gloomy conditions, France is longing for the sun to return. The month of May was marked by repeated rainy spells, leading to rainfall levels that were on average 60% above seasonal normals, according to Infoclimat data.

Fortunately, the return of the Azores anticyclone will bring milder weather, with increasingly sunny days and rising temperatures. Contrary to appearances, temperatures were above normal for the whole of May.

Stable, long-lasting weather is not expected until mid-June. H24 MEDIA reports.

From Monday onwards, the French regions will be under alternating cloudy and clear skies. According to the forecasters at Météo-France, weather conditions should return to seasonal normality by Monday, and then exceed it on Tuesday. They point out that the heat will intensify between Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures in excess of 30°C in the Garonne and Rhône valleys.

However, this heatwave will be short-lived. In fact, we mustn’t get carried away by the short-lived good weather, as an alternation between pleasant summer days and rainy, sometimes stormy, periods until mid-June is highly likely. Significant temperature variations are also to be expected during this period.

As for the summer ahead, in a monthly bulletin at the end of May, Météo-France outlined the climatic trends for the summer period. The models suggest a warmer-than-normal summer, particularly in the Mediterranean regions, for the months of June, July and August. However, as far as rainfall is concerned, no scenario is favoured at the moment.