Feeling wintery from this weekend: frost and snow at low altitude on the program

News Weather

The arrival of the cold weather that we have been talking about since last week will be a little delayed compared to initial forecasts. A descent of maritime polar air will begin from Friday and will be confirmed this weekend.

At the start of the week, temperatures remain slightly above seasonal averages. However, expect a slight drop on Thursday, before a warmer spell on Friday. But be careful, a notable cooling is forecast for Saturday with a drop of around 4°C on average.

The anticyclone returns this mid-week with a few frosts

An anticyclone rears its ugly head in the middle of the week, bringing its share of morning frosts. These high pressures will clear the night sky, promoting notable cooling on the ground. So prepare to experience the first frosts in the regions from the northeast to the southwest. However, these frosts will remain discreet, because the air at altitude will not be particularly cold. On the contrary, this anticyclone will arrive with rather mild air from the Atlantic. Minimum temperatures will generally drop to around -1 to 2°C from the Grand-Est to the Aquitaine basin. Frosts will therefore often be observed on the ground and you may have to scrape the frost off your windshield Thursday and Friday morning.

Descent of maritime polar air this weekend: up to 8°C less in 24 hours in the south-east

The weekend will mark the arrival of significantly cooler air. From Friday evening, a maritime polar air current will set in, causing the temperature to drop to around 0 to -5°C at 1500 meters altitude. Fortunately, as it passes over the warmer waters of the North Sea, this cold air will soften somewhat as it reaches our regions. Minimum temperatures will then vary from -2 to 9°C, from the center-east to Corsica, with maximums ranging from 5°C in the north-east to 13°C in the Mediterranean regions. The feeling will therefore be more wintry than during the week, even if these temperatures will not be exceptional for the end of November. Please note: snowfall is expected in the mountains, from 600 to 800 meters above sea level.

Some scenarios envisage a prolongation and intensification of the cold for next week with a more continental flow. However, it seems that mainly the eastern half would be subject to this sharper cold. This trend will need to be confirmed during the week.

HAS