Thunderstorms: Ten Eastern French Departments on Orange Alert, Severe Weather Expected

Météo-France has issued an orange alert for thunderstorms across ten departments in eastern France this Sunday, June 1. The warning, initially set to begin at 4 p.m., was moved forward to 1:30 p.m. The affected areas are Ain, Ardèche, Doubs, Drôme, Isère, Jura, Loire, Haute-Loire, Rhône, and Saône-et-Loire.

Gusty Winds, Hail, and Intense Rainfall Expected

In its bulletin, the national weather agency warned of “potentially violent thunderstorms” expected to develop over the eastern Massif Central and move toward the eastern border regions by evening. The most severe phenomena are likely to hit eastern Rhône-Alpes, Franche-Comté, and southern Burgundy. Wind gusts may reach up to 100 km/h, with possible hailstorms and intense rainfall of up to 40 mm in a short period.

The orange alert is expected to end at midnight for Doubs, Jura, and Saône-et-Loire, but will remain in effect until 3 a.m. in the other seven departments.

Stormy Skies Already Active on Saturday

This fresh wave of storms follows a turbulent Saturday across France, during which over 15,000 lightning strikes were recorded, particularly in the east. Significant hail was reported in departments such as Allier, Meurthe-et-Moselle, and Bas-Rhin.

In parallel, nearly three-quarters of mainland France are under a yellow alert for possible thunderstorms, especially in southern and eastern regions.