Overview
- Southwest stations logged deep freezes on December 31, including −7.5°C at Bergerac, −5.7°C at Cazaux and −3.0°C in Bordeaux after clear skies intensified nocturnal cooling.
- Météo France and La Chaîne Météo reported widespread frosts and frequent freezing fogs, with morning lows generally between −6°C and −1°C and slow clearing in the plains.
- Forecasters expected subzero readings across most of the Southwest at midnight on New Year’s Eve, with cloud increasing from the south on January 1.
- National readings showed a sharp split from −11.3°C at Luxeuil to 8.2°C at Île du Levant, reflecting deep cold inland and relative mildness near the Mediterranean.
- The cold is projected to persist into the weekend, with snow expected in eastern France on Friday and possibly in Rhône-Alpes on Saturday, while January 1 may bring light rain and gusty onshore winds along the Channel.