Weather alert: violent storms forecast in the coming hours, twelve departments on orange alert

Le ciel va gronder ce mardi 18 juin dans le sud-ouest et le centre de la France. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

This Tuesday, June 18, 2024, the weather will be marked by major storms in the southwest of the country. Météo-France places 12 departments in the southwest on orange alert.

The sky will rumble in the southwest and center of France. This Tuesday, June 18, 2024, twelve departments are placed on orange alert for risk of storms by Météo-France. These are Gironde, Landes, Dordogne, Charente, Tarn-et-Garonne, Lot-et-Garonne, Haute-Vienne, Creuse, Indre, Cher, Nièvre, Côtes-d'Or and Yonne.

Vigilance will be effective at 5 p.m.

Orange vigilance will be effective from 5 p.m. in the departments of Gironde and Landes. It will then gradually extend to other departments up to Burgundy. For the moment, the orange vigilance is supposed to end at midnight.

"The storm system expected this evening over New Aquitaine will circulate quickly towards the west and north of the Massif Central as well as towards the Centre- Val-de-Loire then Burgundy", writes Météo France in its 4 p.m. bulletin.

"Uncertainty remains regarding its exact trajectory and the maintenance of its intensity. An extension of orange vigilance to other departments remains possible, it is therefore advisable to keep informed of developments during the day", adds the’ meteorological institute.

Rain and gusty winds also expected

The stormy episode should begin to develop around the Bay of Biscay in the afternoon. Accumulated rain of up to 30 to 50 mm, hailstones with a diameter greater than 2 cm and strong wind gusts of up to 90 km/h are expected with these storms.