Thunderstorms in Paris this week

Marika,
My daughter and I visited Paris in June 2016 and we experience a light thunderstorm, so a rain jacket was very useful. This was also the year that we couldn’t take a cruise on the Seine due to the heavy rainstorms which caused the river to overflow in some areas.

If you have a light rain jacket, I’d definitely advice you pack it.

Have a wonderful trip!

When you click the link, note where Paris is located prior to the weather overlay appearing. It will then jump backwards to show you the situation over the last few hours. Much of western Europe has indeed been having thunderstorms for about a week. On the map, you will clearly see the areas that are having rain - at the time you click the link. The yellow dots are lightning strikes.
http://meteoradar.co.uk/satellite-rainradar#

The weather pattern south of Paris, in Bourgogne, has been alternating periods of sunshine and clouds and thunderstorms for, well, it seems like a month or so. And the last time I checked the long-range forecast that kind of weather is predicted through at least mid-June. Granted, meteorologists like to hedge their bets and few would complain about an unplanned sunny day (such as today).

The thunderstorms tend to appear in the afternoon (mostly), and last for a few minutes to an hour or two. Usually not the all-day variety.

We are currently in Provence, forecasts show threat of storms every day this past week but we have seen much more sun. An umbrella is adequate. It is getting warmer, today 26C feels like 32C, so pack a few short sleeve/tank tops with a light sweater.

A very light weight rain jacket/windbreaker that can be crammed in a purse or daypack is useful to have especially for day trips. For just around Paris an umbrella is enough -- you can duck into a cafe for a creme and let the storm pass. We have been under constant bad weather alerts for our side trip to Brittany and much of the time we have been in Paris and it has mostly been very nice -- Even Brittany which is notorious for rain was mostly pleasant. I had been expecting so much worse that I wasn't even bothered by the drizzle in our tour of the Carnac neolithic sites.

It does that in Paris.

Thanks very much, today and yesterday's storms are passing over the Channel as a present to southern England.

There will be more though later in the week.

I so clearly remember happening to be walking in the Marais a few years ago and the sky turned from blue to black and the clouds opened with a bang. We sheltered under an arch in a courtyard and observed a 30- or 40- something lady pop down the stairs and out into the rain. Dressed to the 9s in a typical Paris executive way - beautiful - she felt the rain, looked up, shouted the French expletive me**e!!, ran back in and returned seconds later with a large umbrella and continued on her way. The shout was so discordant with the outfit. Love it.

If we get the same kind of storms next week that we have had this past week, nothing will be sufficient to protect you from them except staying inside while they are passing. They haven't lasted all day, but for some hours in some cases, and have been so powerful that an umbrella would be absolutely zero protection and your feet and legs will be soaked anyway.

I hope the weather improves before you get here, but the honest answer is that you'll have to duck into the nearest café and ride out the storm if it comes while you're out and about!

In that case, Kim, we don't want them. Can you keep them to yourselves, please?

Funny guy Nigel.

My experience has been a rain coat/jacket is too warm for me in summer months. But ymmv. An umbrella or a café, as kim says, since umbrella is useless, is best (for me).

I’m leaving for Paris tomorrow and have been tracking temps on my weather app for 2 wks... high 70s and low 80s... Being from SF, that’s warm for me.

Nigel - I think we already had them last Saturday.

oh yes, I put that out of my mind. I should remember, I had to shell out £200 for a pair of new tyres after I burst 2 whoomphing a kerb I couldn't see, at speed in the deluge, 50 miles from home. I remember now....

Luckily the alloy wheels are OK.

Oh no!! Yes indeed, glad the wheels are ok!

Yes I remember noting what looked to me a strange pattern when I consulted the radar the other day for the Paris region. Instead of moving west to east, the storms were driving basically straight north! I say "to me" it looked strange, because I hardly ever look at storm radar here (whereas home in Oklahoma I look at it all the time) so it may just be my ignorance manifesting itself!! (I.e. if that's indeed a normal pattern).

It's been really pleasant and much cooler this weekend. So sorry for anyone whose trip coincides with weather like the heat and storms of the last 10 days!!

I wonder how the 2nd week of the French Open will be affected. No roofed stadium courts yet.

One of my favorite memories of Paris is that of a early-evening thunderstorm.

My wife and I were sitting under the awning of a cafe on Rue Cler, sipping wine and watching Parisians going about their business, when the sky turned an amazing color of yellow. The clouds glowed like someone spray-painted them with that gold hue you see on the picture frames of Baroque paintings. A few minutes later, that golden hue faded to a bruise black. Then the heavens opened up and fat raindrops splattered down for about the time it takes to get a French waiter's attention, wetting everything just enough so that the lights of the cafe reflected off the damp street. A flash of lightning, then a tremendous roll of thunder and the rain stopped. Everything smelled fresh and new.

Sitting under an awning in a French cafe, looking at the reflections off the wet street, sipping good wine in good company . . . let it rain, let it rain, let it rain!

-- Mike Beebe