France braced for big drop in temperatures and storms in the south
After a summer marked by record-breaking temperatures and drought, France is now facing a period of unsettled weather, with rain hitting several regions as well as a big drop in temperature.
Temperatures will initially rise in France before dropping sharply later this week while rain has already fallen across northern France. Another spell of wet weather is also expected in the middle of the week.
The most significant rainfall is expected in the southeast of the country, particularly around the Rhône valley and the Cévennes.
Météo-France placed Lozère, Gard and Hérault départements on orange alert for rain, flooding and thunderstorms starting at midnight Tuesday until Wednesday.
“Particularly heavy thunderstorms are set to develop on Tuesday in the late afternoon in the southeast,” Météo-France said, with ongoing rain expected to move from Hérault and Gard towards the Cévennes in Ardèche.
READ MORE: What you should and shouldn’t do if your part of France is under a flood warning
Despite the potentially heavy rainfall, however, it is unlikely to be enough to ease France’s widespread drought.
The current drought is the result of months of below-average rainfall combined with unusually high temperatures. While some regions could receive significant amounts of rain this week, there is no indication of a prolonged period of rainfall across the country that would be enough to improve soil conditions.
Temperatures to rise then fall
At the start of the week, temperatures in some parts of France could be up to 10C above seasonal averages. Paris is forecast to reach around 29C on Tuesday, before temperatures fall to 27C on Wednesday and 22C on Thursday.
In Gironde, temperatures could fall from around 30C on Tuesday to around 20C on Thursday. Meanwhile, in the Grand Est region, temperatures of 28C are expected on Tuesday, compared with around 18C in some places on Thursday.
The sharp decline will begin as the colder front associated with the Atlantic low-pressure system moves across France on Wednesday and Thursday. Western France is expected to experience the change first, followed by the eastern parts of the country.
🌡️ Temps encore “estival” en ce début de semaine. ⛈️ Prudence : risque de pluies intenses et durables dès mardi après-midi, ainsi que mercredi et jeudi dans l’Hérault, le Gard, les Cévennes ardéchoises et la Vallée du Rhône. Le point complet : https://t.co/Fi3qgg8xTT https://t.co/fGL15RKaX3
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) September 28, 2026
Still warmer than normal
Despite the cooler weather later this week, temperatures are not necessarily returning to typical autumn levels.
By the end of the week, maximum temperatures are expected to settle at around 20C in northern France and between 20C and 25C in the south.
France has experienced an exceptionally warm period since late spring due to human-caused climate change. Current forecasts suggest temperatures could fall slightly again next week, but are still expected to remain above normal for the time of year.
