French weekend weather forecast July 12 - 13: high temperatures and lots of storms
Heatwave warnings will not come into force but highs of 35C are expected
Storms will arrive across the south over the weekend, before covering most of France early next week
s_oleg/Shutterstock
Heatwave-level temperatures will be recorded across most of France this weekend, even if warnings will not come into place until next week (if they are raised at all).
Storms are forecast throughout the south, and will cover most of the country by Monday (July 14, France鈥檚 national day).
Friday July 11
A calm day, Friday will see a continuation of the slowly-climbing temperatures that began in the middle of the week.
Highs of 34C in the south-west and 32C in Lyon and the Rh么ne Valley will be the highest of the day.
Temperatures could reach 30C to 31C in Normandy and Brittany, higher than along the Mediterranean, as Atlantic anticyclone winds cover these areas.
Elsewhere, they will remain around 25C.
Sunny skies are expected across the country, free of rain and any significant clouds, although there is a risk of late-night storms in the Pays-Basque.
Saturday July 12
Temperatures will continue to rise on Saturday, with most of the country experiencing very high temperatures.
From Brittany to the south-east, including the centre, west, south-west, and east, temperatures will be between 30C - 35C in the shade, and locally higher.
Three days of above-average temperatures are required for heatwave (canicule) warnings to be declared, however people should be aware of the heat if they are planning to spend much of the day outside.
The English Channel will be slightly cooler due to sea breezes, staying around 25C, and areas near the Belgian border will not reach above 30C.
Despite high temperatures in the south-west, storms from the Pyr茅n茅es will cover the mountains and foothills, and hit cities including Toulouse and Perpignan (the latter may also see hail).
Areas are far north as Aurillac may be hit by stormy weather.
Overnight, storms may continue along the Mediterranean, reaching Marseille and potentially even Nice.
Sunday July 13
Temperatures will remain much the same on Sunday, although they will rise slightly in Paris, Lille, and the rest of the north.
Highs of 30C or more are likely almost everywhere except the Massif Central, English Channel, parts of the Mediterranean coastline and a pocket of northern France.
The south-west will remain clear of storms, although it will potentially face cloudy skies.
However in the south-east storms are likely, particularly in the Alps, Massif Central and Rh么ne Valley.
Early forecasts for July 14 show storms streaking across France from the Pyr茅n茅es to the German border, covering the central belt and the mountain ranges.
The storms may not necessarily drop temperatures in the day, but are likely to clear the air and lower night-time recordings, resetting the timer for heatwave warnings to come into place.
