Following a recent cold snap across France, attention is now turning to the increasing risk of flooding.
Météo-France’s latest bulletin announces that three departments –
Pyrénées-Orientales, Aude, and Haute-Corse – will be placed under orange alert for
rain-flood risks this evening and remain so until midnight on Friday.
“A new wave of showers and thunderstorms is expected from Thursday evening over eastern Corsica, as well as Pyrénées-Orientales (particularly the plain of Roussillon) and the southeastern part of the Aude department (Corbières massif). This episode occurs in a context of saturated soils, especially in Corsica,” the institute details, adding that Pyrénées-Orientales will be under orange alert starting at 10:00 PM and Haute-Corse from 6:00 PM.
The level of rain-flood alert could worsen in the Aude department, although the heaviest rainfall is expected to remain confined to the Corbières massif, the institute estimates.
It adds that a shift to an orange-level alert for wave-submersion is not excluded for the Pyrénées-Orientales department on Friday.
Heavy snowfall is also forecast on the Canigou massif above 1,500 meters, which could lead to an increase in the avalanche risk level.
