Weather. Weekend of July 14: intense heat, violent thunderstorms... What to expect?

There will be a lot of people on the roads this weekend, between those leaving and returning from their holidays and those enjoying three days off. Especially since, weather-wise, things are looking pretty good: these three days will be mostly hot, above seasonal averages, but without reaching the heatwave levels of late June .

Saturday morning temperatures will be mild, with temperatures ranging from 15 to 20°C across the country and plenty of sunshine. In the afternoon, the heatwave threshold (30°C) will be reached in the southern three-quarters of the country. The Channel coasts, and to a lesser extent, the Mediterranean coasts, will retain a more breathable atmosphere thanks to the sea air.

"Sunday and Monday will be the two hottest days nationwide," reports La Chaîne Météo . Over 80% of the country, afternoon temperatures will be between 30 and 35°C, with temperatures still a few degrees cooler on the coasts. But even southern Brittany is expected to exceed 30°C.

The sky will be sunny, but beware: due to the high temperatures , thunderstorms, sometimes violent, are expected in several regions. On Saturday, the Pyrenees region will be affected by thunderstorms, which will then affect the southern Alps and the Massif Central. Rain, sometimes intense, is expected, with a significant risk of flooding. The northern half of the country will remain under bright sunshine.

The risk of thunderstorms will extend to the entire Southeast on Sunday, where sunshine will give way to cloud formations that can sometimes be threatening. On Monday, "the weather will become more unstable," predicts La Chaîne Météo: thunderstorm activity is expected in a wide band extending from the Southwest to the Northeast, against a backdrop of very high temperatures.

This long weekend will mark the third heatwave of the summer, but it is expected to remain below the heatwave threshold. As a reminder, a heatwave requires three days and three nights above the temperature thresholds determined for each department by Météo-France and the Ministry of Health.