Temperatures below seasonal norms are expected in France for the first days of the year. A snowy episode is expected in the plains this weekend.
With very low temperatures for several days, many departments have decided to activate the extreme cold plan, including in Paris and the Paris region since this Sunday. This weather is expected to continue in the coming days and France will begin 2026 with lasting cold, with temperatures generally 3 to 4°C lower than seasonal norms, specifies La Chaîne Météo*.
This Monday morning, thermometers often showed between -5 and -7°C in the northern half of the country, and locally up to -10°C in rural areas. The minimums will remain negative all week, often between -3 and -7°C, and could reach -8 to -10°C in the North-East and the Massif Central, while the maximums will struggle to exceed 0 to 3°C in the North, compared to 5 to 10°C in the south. New Year’s Day promises to be particularly cold, with a national average close to 0°C, comparable to the conditions observed at the end of 2016.
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According to Météo France, the weather will remain dry and sunny over a large part of the country, but certain regions could experience persistent fog, particularly in the South-West and the North-East. New Year’s Eve promises to be frosty, with widespread negative temperatures. Conditions are expected to remain wintry until the weekend, before a possible more disrupted development.
The Weather Channel
Intensity still unknown
From Thursday, cold upper air coming from Scandinavia will slide over the north of the country, accompanied by light precipitation in the form of snow in the North-East, while a depression off the Iberian Peninsula will bring up milder air from the south, Météo France specifies in its bulletin.
This conflict of air masses could cause sometimes heavy precipitation and a risk of snow in the plains, mainly in the north, center and east of the country, notes the specialized public establishment. “This cold could well be accompanied by humidity, with a strong risk of a snowy episode in the plains of France, forecast for the first weekend of the year”abounds La Chaîne Météo. The location and exact intensity of this episode still remain uncertain, and forecasters invite us to carefully follow the next bulletins.
The start of 2026 will then continue with classic winter weather, marked by persistent frosts and generally clear skies, and a thermometer which should rise slightly. “Despite a slight increase, temperatures remain below the averages for early January in the northern half. The maximums should trend further downward over the weekend.adds Météo-France.
* The Weather Channel is a property of Le Figaro.
