Overview
- Météo-France and local reports confirmed the first flakes in the plains of the Grand Est on Wednesday morning, with brief accumulations observed in Meurthe-et-Moselle.
- Widespread morning frosts returned across much of the country, with lows near −5°C in the northeast and localized drops of roughly 10–20°C compared with last week’s warmth.
- Forecasts highlight Thursday as the most favorable window for low-elevation snow from the Hauts-de-France to the Belgian and German borders, with a rain–snow mix possible in Île-de-France and only light, uncertain amounts expected.
- Strong mistral and tramontane winds are affecting Mediterranean corridors with gusts around 80–100 km/h, while the Alps and Pyrenees are expected to collect substantial snowfall, locally around 30–40 cm.
- Forecasters caution about icy roads after overnight freezes and note a weekend pattern change that could briefly produce snow or freezing rain before a modest west-to-east warm-up.