Vigilance orange in Corsica: watch out for strong winds

Corsica has been placed under a “vigilance orange vent” (orange wind alert) from 8am this Wednesday, November 20. The departments of Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud are particularly affected by this windy episode, which heralds extreme weather conditions. According to Météo-France, the approaching Mediterranean disturbance will strengthen the Libeccio during the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, with gusts of up to 110 to 130 km/h in the Bastia region, 120 to 150 km/h in Balagne and the hills, and up to 160 to 180 km/h on Cap Corse. This phenomenon is expected to diminish during the evening.

Intense cold expected throughout France
The winter cold is intensifying this Wednesday, with the arrival of a polar air mass over France, according to the weather station. Temperatures will drop sharply, with values approaching those of winter. In fact, at the best part of the day, the thermometer will not exceed 5 to 10°C over a large part of the country. Minimum temperatures, especially in the morning, will be very low, ranging from 0°C to 3°C over most of the country, with the exception of the southwest and the Mediterranean coast, where temperatures will be a little milder, between 4°C and 10°C.

Cold temperatures across the country
In the morning, temperatures will be particularly low:

Lille, Alençon, Metz: 4°C
Paris, Strasbourg: 5°C
Belfort: 3°C

In the afternoon, temperatures will remain cold over most of the country:

Paris: 7°C
Rennes, Tours: 8°C
Rouen, Auxerre: 6°C

However, the south-west and the Mediterranean will enjoy milder temperatures:

Saint-Jean-de-Luz: 14°C
Toulouse, Tarbes: 11°C
Bordeaux: 12°C
Marseille, Perpignan: 14°C
Nice: 17°C
Ajaccio (Corsica): 15°C

Snow on high ground and in some regions
In addition to the wind and cold, snow is expected on the higher ground. In the Pyrenees mountains, snow will fall at altitudes of 1,500 to 1,800 meters, while in the eastern relief (Vosges, Northern Alps), flakes could appear at altitudes of 300 to 600 meters. These snowfalls will be accompanied by sleet.

Towards snow on the plains on Thursday
The situation will continue to deteriorate on Thursday, November 21, with snowfall likely to reach the plains, particularly in the northern regions of France, such as Normandy, Centre-Val de Loire and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. The Île-de-France region may also be affected by snowfall.

Cautionary advice
With the arrival of this bad weather, it is important to exercise caution, particularly in Corsica, where the wind will be particularly violent. Remain vigilant and avoid non-essential travel, especially on roads exposed to wind and snow.