France freezes but unseasonably warm spell soon on way

BITTER WINDS ARE CURRENTLY MOVING SOUTHWARDS BUT TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO RISE SUDDENLY AS WARM ATLANTIC WINDS ARRIVE People across France have woken to temperatures as cold as -7C

today, even if the snowfall has ended. Morning temperatures were -6C in Amiens, -5C in Alençon, and as far south as Tours they were still below freezing (-2C). Overnight temperatures were

even colder in the north, reaching -10C in Le Touquet and -7C in Lille. Near Arras (Pas-de-Calais) a record-breaking -14.6C was felt. This is due to the bitter cold winds of depression Irène

coming from the north, which are no longer opposed by the warmer, more humid winds from the Mediterranean. The collision of these two winds caused THIS WEEK’S SNOW, and now that the

Mediterranean winds have weakened, further snowfall is not expected despite the cold. The winds of Irène are set to dominate almost all of France, except the far south-east, until Saturday

evening. Next week however will see the arrival of different winds from the Atlantic with temperatures far above seasonal averages expected. Arriving in Brittany on Saturday night, the warm

– but wet – winds will drive temperatures up across the country. Cities in the north where temperatures failed to rise above 0C for many days may see around 14C by the middle of next week. A

FREEZING FRIDAY? France still has to deal with the cold winds of Irène before temperatures improve, and cautions remain in place over weather conditions. There are 75 departments facing

tier-two warnings for _neige-verglas _(snowy/icy road conditions), as despite the lack of snowfall, roads are still slippery with ice. READ MORE: HOW TO SEE ROAD UPDATES IN FRANCE AND TIPS

FOR DRIVING IN SNOW AND ICE Departments in the north (and a handful in the south) have also TEMPORARILY REACTIVATED _GRAND FROID_ PLANS to help those most vulnerable to the heat. Two

departments (Orne and Calvados) are facing heightened tier-three orange warnings for river flooding. In the east, temperatures will struggle to rise above 0C, although in the north it will

be between 2C and 5C. Coastal areas may see higher temperatures, up to 7C in Normandy and 8C in Brittany. COLD CONTINUES ON SATURDAY BEFORE DRASTIC SUNDAY CHANGE Temperatures on Saturday

(January 20) are predicted to be lower than today. Meteorologists expect morning temperatures of -8C in Amiens, -6C in Metz, and -5C in Vichy on Saturday. Overnight they could be even

colder, with more records potentially broken. As far south as Bordeaux temperatures may be below freezing at the start of the weekend, a far cry from the middle of the week when thermometers

read 18C in the south-west. Temperatures will again rise throughout the day, although will not hit double figures anywhere except Nice. During the evening, they will stay above 0C almost

everywhere, and may even rise to 11C in Brittany as the warm Atlantic winds begin to arrive. The winds will push inland on Sunday, mostly in the north-west and western coast, leading to

double-figure temperatures, although they will also bring persistent rain. Monday (January 22) will see the humid winds impact almost all of France, with temperatures in Paris potentially

reaching 13C, and 15C on Wednesday. Early predictions are that the ‘warm spell’ will last at least until next Thursday (January 25). You can keep up with weather warnings on the official

_Météo France_ WEBSITE, up to 48 hours in advance. RELATED ARTICLES DUCK COLD! FRENCH PHRASES TO USE FOR CHILLY WEATHER COLD IN FRANCE: TIPS ON WHAT TO EAT AND HOW TO PREPARE HOME