Cévennes episode in Ardèche: the department in orange vigilance, more than 300 mm expected until Sunday – France Bleu

Two months of precipitation in 48 hours: according to Prédict, a subsidiary of Météo-France which alerts municipalities in the event of dangerous climatic phenomena, it could fall nearly two months of rain during this All Saints weekend in several departments including Ardèche. A new Cevennes episode is approaching: “on the Cévennes part of the Hérault, Gard and Ardèche, more than 300 mm can be precipitated during the weekend“.

The heaviest precipitation between Friday evening and Sunday morning

According to Gabriel Chanterelle, Météo-France forecaster in Lyon, “it is already raining in the Cévennes, but quite lightly. And then these rains will increase in power, especially next night to reach their paroxysm from the end of the night and tomorrow Saturday where there, we will have strong intensities in the Cévennes, or even also in Lower Ardèche. We can have around 200 mm in 24 hours on the Cévennes arc, even occasionally 250. And it is also not impossible that we have very significant accumulations. The strongest intensities are expected at the end of the night and continue tomorrow Saturday. A priori, precipitation would be lower during the day on Sunday. But this is yet to be confirmed“.

The Gard and Lozère have gone through orange rain-flood vigilance this Friday morning at 6 a.m. Orange vigilance was activated at 10 a.m. in Ardèche. At the beginning of October, a Cevennes episode had caused several injuries and led to the evacuation of around 100 people. Many swollen rivers had risen from their beds.