Heavy rain is once again putting parts of southern France on alert as forecasters warn that another potentially intense Mediterranean weather episode could develop this week.
The French search term "pluie," meaning rain, surged on Google on Monday as residents checked forecasts and flood warnings following days of unstable weather.
Météo France said thunderstorms and rain were continuing across Mediterranean regions on Monday, October 5, with locally significant rainfall expected in Corsica. Conditions are forecast to remain unsettled before another deterioration from Tuesday night into Thursday.
Aude, Hérault and Pyrénées Orientales remained under yellow warnings for rain and thunderstorms on Monday morning after more serious alerts were issued during the weekend.
The previous round of storms produced exceptionally heavy rainfall in some areas.
Weather observations cited by Meteo Paris showed rainfall reaching approximately 211 millimeters in Narbonne between Saturday and Sunday. More than 100 millimeters was also recorded at several other locations in southern France.
The Pyrénées Orientales had previously been placed under an orange rain and flood warning before authorities downgraded the alert as rainfall intensity decreased. Residents were nevertheless urged to stay away from waterways and avoid flooded roads.
Attention is now turning to the next system.
Météo France forecasts sustained rain across Mediterranean France between Tuesday evening and Thursday. A colder air mass will also spread across the country between Wednesday and Thursday, pushing temperatures below seasonal averages.
Independent forecasts suggest some of the strongest thunderstorms could affect areas between the Cévennes, Languedoc and the Mediterranean coast, with another risk of very heavy rainfall and localized flooding.
The threat is particularly important because soils in several areas are already saturated following repeated storms.
Southern France experienced a severe Mediterranean episode at the end of September, when intense thunderstorms caused flash flooding and prompted red rain and flood warnings in Gard and Hérault.
With another unstable system approaching, authorities are urging residents and travelers in affected areas to closely follow official Météo France warnings as forecasts are updated.
