These departments are located in the southern part of the country. Further changes may occur during the day

In its mid-day bulletin for Thursday July 11, Météo France announced that 8 departments in the south of the country had been placed under orange vigilance due to thunderstorms. This vigilance is in force for today and will continue until Friday July 12.

The departments concerned are Hautes-Pyrénées, Tarn-et-Garonne, Tarn, Lot, Aveyron, Cantal, Haute-Loire and Lozère.

According to the meteorological institute, thunderstorms are already affecting the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. This stormy episode requires “particular vigilance given the risk of heavy precipitation, hail and, to a lesser extent, strong wind gusts.”

“New oceanic disturbance”

Météo France also explained, in a note published earlier in the week, that these stormy phenomena are caused by “a new oceanic disturbance, which is wrapping around a low-pressure system close to the Atlantic coast.”

“The afternoon and evening will see a multiplication of thunderstorms, sometimes violent, affecting the north of the country on the one hand, and the southwest on the other, moving eastwards during the following night,” the bulletin stated.