WeatherFanatics: More Rain Targets Flood-Ravaged Southern France

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

More Rain Targets Flood-Ravaged Southern France

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

December 2,2014; 8:34PM,EST

Days after being inundated with heavy rain, downpours will renew the threat for flooding in southern France later this week.
The latest storm to track through the Mediterranean Sea will spread a band of soaking rain across far northeastern Spain and neighboring parts of southern France later Thursday through Friday.
Rain amounts will generally be on the order of 12 to 25 mm (0.50 to an inch) as snow falls in the higher elevations of the Pyrenees.
Typically, such rain totals would only raise concerns for isolated flooding. The region, however, is more susceptible to flooding in the wake of recent rain which has left the ground saturated.

Perpignan, France, was inundated with 223.9 mm (8.81 inches) of rain from last Friday through Monday morning. Out of that rain total, 124.6 mm (4.91 inches) fell alone in the 24 hours ending Sunday morning.
North of Perpignan, AFP reported that roughly 2,800 people were forced to evacuate along the banks of the swollen Agly River by late Sunday afternoon.
RELATED:
France Weather Center
Spain Weather Center
Europe Weather Center
The flooding throughout southern France has claimed five lives.
According to the AFP, the latest victim was an elderly man who died of heart failure in Rivesaltes, north of Perpignan. The man was trying to force his car through a big dip in a flooded road.
Residents are reminded to never drive through a flooding road. The current of the water could be strong enough to overtake your vehicle or the road surface below may be washed away.

Already swollen streams may once again overflow their banks. The same could be said for larger rivers in the following days as the runoff flows downstream.
The downpours in southern France and northeastern Spain will give way to a brisk and chilly weekend with spottier and lighter rain showers. The soaking will shift to the Balkans for Friday and Saturday.

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