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A wet weekend is set to bring storms and strong winds to much of the south of France, before a 10C drop in temperatures at the start of next week. 

A mass of polar air is set to sweep in from Iceland and cover the country bringing an end to the unseasonably high November temperatures that have reached 20C or above across the country. 

Friday November 14 

Rain will move in from the Atlantic coast and turn stormy around central areas, bringing showers as far east as Metz and Lyon by the evening. 

A separate bout of showers will cover the Mediterranean, and potentially lead to storms around Nice and the south-east overnight. 

Only Paris, the German border areas, and the Pays-Basque are free of any risk of rain throughout the day, and elsewhere patchy showers are possible. 

Winds of up to 120 km/h are forecast from the Pyrénées to the Massif Central as the famous Autan gales blow. At the top of the Pyrénées, winds of 200 km/h are possible, but only at mountain peaks and not within range of the soon-to-open ski stations. 

Temperatures will remain warm despite the conditions, with highs of 19C - 21C in the north and up to 24C in the south. 

Saturday November 15 

Several competing conditions will come into play throughout Saturday, leading forecasters to be less confident with predictions. 

The south-west should be the least affected, with rain-free skies reaching up to around Marseille.

To the east of this, the Riviera will see rain and thunderstorms, particularly around Nice and the southern Alps. 

At the same time, a string of thunderstorms cutting France in two from Brittany to the Rhône Valley will move inland throughout the day. 

Heavy rainfall is expected in the Cévennes Valley as a result of the two conditions.

In the north and north-east, intermittent showers are expected. 

Temperatures will drop slightly from those on Friday, with highs of 14C - 15C in the south and around 19C in the north.

Highs of 21C are possible in the south-west around the Pays-Basque and Pyrénées foothills but are unlikely to last throughout the afternoon. 

Heightened weather alerts are not yet in place but are subject to change as conditions progress. It is recommended to keep up with local alerts or check the Météo France . 

Sunday November 16

Thunderstorms will continue in the south-east, with heavy rainfall stretching into the Alps, Rhône Valley, and Provence. 

Central and south-western areas will see showers throughout the day, as clouds limit sunlight. 

North of the Loire, showers will become rarer and sunlight more common. However, areas along the English Channel will remain rainy throughout. 

Temperatures will drop further, with highs of around 13C in the north and 16C in the south. Notably, Lille (9C) and the German border areas (9C) may struggle to record a double-digit temperature. 

Plummeting temperatures

Early forecasts for the start of next week see temperatures drop sharply across the whole of France. 

So far in November, a mass of warm air from Africa and the Atlantic has covered France, keeping temperatures warm and air humid. 

From Monday (November 16) however, a powerful polar air will sweep in from the north, quickly covering the entire country. 

This rapid change will cause temperatures to plummet, particularly in the morning when minus temperatures and frosts will be likely across the country. 

Maximum temperatures will drop by around 10C in most areas, with double digit recordings unlikely in any part of the north from next week onwards. 

Between this Friday and the next, temperatures are set to drop by potentially 18C in some central areas.

Gardeners are recommended to take early action to prepare for incoming frosts.