Thunderstorms: six departments in the Northeast on orange alert this Sunday afternoon

Six departments in the Northeast will be under orange storm alert this Sunday afternoon, July 20, with Météo-France forecasting a "significant storm episode" with a "high probability of violent phenomena."

Moselle, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Vosges, Haute-Marne and Côte-d'Or will experience a "significant stormy episode requiring particular vigilance," according to the organization's bulletin published at 6 a.m.

"Early Sunday afternoon, a fairly significant storm wave will affect the departments of Côte-d'Or and Haute-Marne, then quickly spread to Lorraine in the afternoon, " with "wind gusts often between 70 and 90 km/h and occasionally reaching 100 to 120 km/h," Météo-France said.

The vigilance could "be extended to the neighboring departments" of the six concerned in the Northeast, with a risk of "violent gusts" and "hail, especially present in Saône-et-Loire and Franche-Comté."

The storms will move "towards the Benelux and Germany by late afternoon at the latest, but may be followed by showers and more thunderstorms." The risk of thunderstorms is not ruled out in the central-eastern part of the country.