Weather Alert: Orange Warning for Snow and Ice in Four Departments This Weekend

Météo-France has placed four departments in the south of the Massif Central—Aveyron, Lozère, Haute-Loire, and Ardèche—under an orange warning for snow and ice starting from the night of Friday, February 7 to Saturday. This alert is due to the arrival of a cold drop, a pocket of cold air at high altitude, which will cause marked winter weather conditions across a large part of the country.

Significant Snowfall Starting Friday Night
From Friday, snow showers will affect regions stretching from Pays de la Loire to Hauts-de-France, including the western Paris Basin. However, the intensity of this snow episode will peak during the night from Friday to Saturday.

The cold drop, interacting with milder and more humid air rising from the Mediterranean, will result in heavy snowfall over the Cévennes mountains starting at 1,200 meters altitude. Wind gusts reaching up to 90 km/h are also expected, further complicating travel conditions.

Significant Snow Accumulations in the Southern Massif Central
The heaviest precipitation is expected in the southern Massif Central, with accumulations reaching 10 to 20 cm from 800 meters altitude, and between 50 and 80 cm above 1,200 meters, possibly even more locally. In Lozère, snow depths of 15 to 30 cm are expected from 700 meters, reaching up to 90 cm on Mont-Lozère.

In the southern half of France, snow could also appear at low altitudes, particularly in Limousin, Tarn, and to a lesser extent, the Rhône Valley. In Auvergne and Aveyron, snow may fall from 400 meters, while in the Pyrenees and the Mercantour, it will occur from 500 to 1,000 meters.

Heavy Rainfall Near the Mediterranean and in Corsica
Besides snow, heavy rainfall is expected around the Mediterranean basin, especially over the Cévennes and eastern Corsica. On the western coast of the Island of Beauty, the equivalent of a month’s worth of rain could fall in just a few hours.

Continued Precipitation on Sunday
On Sunday, precipitation will persist in the southeastern quarter of France, though with gradually decreasing intensity. Snow will continue to fall on the Alpine and Massif Central mountains. In the northern half, showers—sometimes in the form of sleet—are expected, brought by westerly flows from the Atlantic.

Safety Recommendations
Météo-France strongly advises caution in light of these deteriorating weather conditions. It is recommended to limit non-essential travel, stay updated with weather bulletins, and prepare necessary equipment to deal with snow and ice if travel is unavoidable.