Torrential rains, violent storms, seventies episodes, serial floods, but also tornadoes: at least we can say that the weather in France in 2024 has been chaotic!
The weather disasters that have hit the four corners of mainland France this year are too numerous to list them all: many small villages in the north, west and south have been repeatedly destroyed by floods. Long rains. Other phenomena Weather reportWeather report Several departments had broader consequences, as is the case with hurricanes.
Here are 5 weather phenomena that especially marked the news in our country during 2024.
A historic event in Sionise on October 17
The Sevanis event in mid-October will probably go down as the biggest weather shock of 2024. While the weather service predicted total rainfall of 200 to 400 mm in the southeastern departments, it eventually fell to double: 864 mm in La Croix-de-Bauzon (non-official infoclimate weather station) in the Ardeche. 720 mm in Villalas (Lozier), and 686 mm in Mayres (Ardèche). The recorded accumulation of 600 to 800 mm is equivalent to two months of rain in the space of two days. This loss is unusual for many affected villages.
Ex-Hurricane Kirk on October 9
The remnants of Cyclone Kirk moved towards Europe and the intensity of the rain and wind surprised everyone. Several rainfall records have been set: in Paris, there has never been so much rain in one day in October. Wind gusts have also exceeded 200 km/h at high altitudes in Errati in the Pyrenees and 113 km/h in Lyon.
Storm Brit on November 24 and 25
In late November, a widespread depression swept over the Pyrenees and Central Eastern departments. 197 km/h in Iraty in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, 143 km/h in Saint-Chamon in the Loire (monthly record) and 134 km/h in the Rhône in Lyon (monthly record). According to Lyon Météo, more than 150 trees were uprooted in city parks.
A lot of rain storms that occurred throughout the summer
The thunderthunder The torrential rains that caused flooding during the summer are so numerous that it is impossible to choose one: from 20 to 21 June, flash floods occurred in La Bérarde in Isère, followed on the 24th in the Vésubie valley. There was a major flood. This was followed by mudslides in Haute-Marne in July, then floods in Occitani between 13 and 15 August, but also in Morbihan in late August.
At a distance of 7,800 km from mainland France, we must not forget the immense devastation that occurred in the French overseas territory of Mayotte. StormStorm Chido hit Mayotte on December 14 with sustained winds of over 200 km/h.
L’PeninsulaPeninsula It was destroyed within a few hours.
