Mild weather characterized the New Year’s Eve in France, with sunny conditions in the south, but a significant shift is expected starting January 2. An incoming weather disturbance will bring rain and strong winds to the north, while snowfall may occur in mountainous areas. This shift indicates colder temperatures and potential wintery conditions across the country, especially in the northeast, contrasting with calmer weather in the southern regions.
Weather Overview for the New Year
The weekend prior to Christmas was quite bustling, but as New Year’s Eve arrived, it greeted us with pleasantly mild weather. While some areas of France faced overcast skies, the southern regions, especially along the Mediterranean coast, basked in glorious sunshine on Christmas Day. However, the pressing question remains: will this favorable weather persist in the days ahead? What does the forecast indicate for the start of 2025? According to Météo France, both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are predicted to mirror the stable conditions seen in the previous days, but a significant climatic change is on the horizon.
Upcoming Weather Changes
Beginning January 2, an active weather disturbance is set to sweep across France. Recently, the country has been under the influence of an anticyclone hovering over western Europe, resulting in predominantly dry weather. However, the Atlantic coast and northeastern regions have been enveloped in gray skies. Those who opted for a mountainous getaway during the holiday season are savoring clear skies at higher elevations. Yet, it’s essential to note that sunny weather does not always correlate with warmer temperatures; despite the mild conditions, certain areas are experiencing chilly evenings.
As we transition into the New Year, forecasts suggest that while cloud cover will persist, particularly in the northwest, strong winds reaching speeds of up to 90 km/h along the English Channel are expected to make an appearance on January 1. This gusty wind signals the imminent arrival of heavy rainfall in the northern half of France the following day. With the onset of 2025, a polar front is anticipated, ushering in a drop in temperatures across the country.
On Thursday, January 2, rain will return to northern France, with the disturbance likely to result in snowfall in the Vosges mountains throughout the day. As temperatures gradually decrease in the northeast, the rain-snow line, which starts at higher altitudes, will lower, reaching the plains by Thursday night. This shift could lead to regions like Moselle, Haut-Rhin, and Meurthe-et-Moselle waking up to a snowy landscape on Friday morning.
For those in the southern parts of France, the weather will remain relatively calm, with a mixture of clouds and sunny intervals. However, maritime influences from the Mediterranean may bring some rain around the Gulf of Lion. This stark contrast in weather conditions between the north and south highlights the climatic diversity expected during this period. In other areas stretching from the Atlantic to the center-east, heavy rainfall, combined with wind gusts of 80 to 100 km/h along the coast, will mark Friday. Snowfall is also anticipated to descend to the plains in regions like Jura, Côte-d’Or, and Isère, making for a notably wintry day.
After the transition from rain to snow, temperatures are forecasted to continue their downward trend across the nation, hindering any chance of stable weather as we head into the upcoming weekend. This drop in temperature is expected to bring snowfall to both mountainous regions and the plains. The southeast, however, should remain relatively unaffected by this unpredictable weather, enjoying sunnier conditions thanks to the influence of the mistral and tramontane winds.