Orange Storm Alert for Southwest France as Hail and Intense Thunderstorms Hit

Overview

• Eight departments are under an orange alert Sunday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., covering Ariège, Aveyron, Haute-Garonne, Gers, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyrénées, Tarn and Tarn-et-Garonne.
• Afternoon cells delivered frequent lightning and hail about 1–3 cm wide with local damage reported in Ariège, while heavy hail also struck parts of Gers.
• Météo‑France warned of brief violent gusts near 80–90 km/h, heavy downpours that can total around 40 mm in a few hours, medium to large hail, and a small tornado risk.
• Prefectures urged people to shelter in sturdy buildings, avoid non‑essential travel and protect property, and organizers in Gers cut short the Bandas festival before the evening storms.
• The system is tracking east this evening with rain likely to linger through Monday, which can ease surface dryness in spots but raises short‑term risks for farms and urban runoff.