Storms to target France as Euro 2016 kicks off this weekend

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

June 9,2016; 6:55PM,EDT

 

 

While the opening match on Friday evening will escape rain, that will not be the overall theme for the much-anticipated Euro 2016.
The 15th edition of the UEFA European Championship runs from 10 June to 10 July and will be played at 10 different stadiums across France. This is the first time in the tournament's history that 24 teams are vying for the coveted title.
France has been plagued by rain and thunderstorms recently, significantly disrupting the French Open and causing severe flooding around Paris.

View of the Stade de France stadium, in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, Wednesday, 8 June, 2016. The EURO 2016 soccer championships kicks off with an opening ceremony and soccer match at Stade de France on Friday, 10 June. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
No prolonged dry spell is likely across France through the rest of June, according to AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Evan Duffey.
"Rainfall will be above normal across France next week, and I would anticipate near-normal rainfall to follow into the start of July," he said. "Temperatures as a whole for the rest of June should also average below normal, regardless of how wet the country is."
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All but one of the 10 stadiums hosting Euro 2016 matches have an opening over the pitch. Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille boosts a retractable roof that can be opened or closed in 30 minutes, according to the official UEFA website.
The return of showers and thunderstorms to Paris this weekend will come after the host team opens the tournament against Romania on Friday at 21:00 CEST.
"Despite ongoing river flooding in Paris from heavy rainfall over the past month, Euro 2016 will kick off on a dry note," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Thompson said. "A mostly cloudy sky is expected at the start of the match with a temperature around 20 C (68 F)."
As the Group Stage round continues through the weekend, showers and thunderstorms will be around Lens on Saturday for the match between Albania and Switzerland and Nice on Sunday evening as Poland faces Northern Ireland.

While the risk of lightning is low, scattered showers are set to dampen Paris on Sunday afternoon when Turkey meets Croatia at the Parc des Princes stadium, as well as Lille later that evening when Germany faces Ukraine.
UEFA rules stipulate that the decision to close the roof of Stade Pierre Mauroy would be made by the UEFA match delegate after consultation with the referee before the match and only by the referee during the match.
Temperatures on Sunday afternoon in Paris will be held to around 18 C (65 F), a few degrees below normal for the middle of June.
With dry conditions expected, fans and players in Bordeaux and Marseille for Saturday's matches will get to enjoy the best weather of the weekend for Group Stage play. Temperatures to start the matches will be near 19 C (66 F) in Bordeaux and 24 C (75 F) in Marseille and will drop only slightly during play.
The matches in Bordeaux and Marseille will feature Wales versus Slovakia and England versus Russia, respectively.
"[In Marseille], there will be a gusty wind out of the west coming in off the Mediterranean Sea, on the order of 15-30 kph (10-20 mph) with higher gusts," Thompson said. "However, the stadium's new roof is designed to protect spectators and players from that wind, so the gusty breeze will have minimal impacts inside the stadium."