Severe thunderstorms caused damage in several parts of France

France – 17 July 2026: Severe thunderstorms swept across several French departments on Thursday evening, causing damage in some places. According to eyewitness reports, large hailstones damaged cars, windows and roofs. The storms were accompanied by powerful wind gusts, heavy rain and numerous lightning strikes. As of Friday morning, no complete information was yet available on property damage, injuries or possible disruptions.

The situation intensified on 16 July over a broad band stretching from central France to the east of the country. Météo-France warned of a new, in some places very intense wave of thunderstorms after severe storm cells had already passed over parts of the west and central-east the previous day. Areas where heated air met colder air masses were particularly vulnerable.

In several affected departments, authorities expected wind gusts of 80 to 100 kilometres per hour, reaching up to 120 kilometres per hour in some places. Very heavy rainfall was also forecast: 20 to 40 millimetres of rain could fall in a short period. Such amounts increase the risk of rapid runoff and small mudflows, especially in cities, on slopes and on dried-out soils.

For Ardèche, the highest official warning level below the emergency danger level was in force overnight into Friday. The prefecture cited a possible risk of hail measuring two to five centimetres in diameter and activated its operations centre as a precaution. The prefectures of Aisne, Allier, Aube and Puy-de-Dôme also warned of dangers to light structures, temporary installations, vehicles and road traffic.

The passage of the storm front followed a period of exceptionally high temperatures. Météo-France reported that maximum temperatures would fall in many parts of the country on Friday, although values of 34 to 37 degrees were still possible in the southeast. The combination of intense heat, dry soils and subsequent downpours complicates the situation, as water often cannot seep into the ground quickly enough.

For residents of the affected regions, the weather situation continues to require increased caution. Authorities advised parking vehicles in sheltered locations where possible, avoiding being outdoors during thunderstorms and not driving on roads with visible flooding. After storm cells have passed, damaged roofs, windows or power lines should not be secured independently if doing so involves danger.

Whether Thursday evening’s thunderstorms will have more serious consequences for agriculture, transport routes or electricity supply must now be determined at regional level. Hail in particular can significantly damage crops, greenhouses and solar installations. Emergency services and municipalities are recording damage on site. On Friday, weather developments remained variable depending on the region, while the overall thunderstorm risk was expected to decrease during the day.