This Wednesday, November 19, Météo-France places 44 departments on yellow alert for snow-ice, sometimes wind and waves-submersion. Snow-ice showers move from Normandy to Hauts-de-France, then Île-de-France and the east, with gusts up to 80–90 km/h over the Channel and a rain-snow limit around 600 m. Why now, which areas, until when, and how to travel safely? Our guide answers.
Weather – snow-ice alert: the essentials
Météo-France places 44 departments on yellow alert for snow-ice this Wednesday 19/11/2025 (sometimes also wind, rain-flooding or waves-submersion). In its 10 a.m. bulletin, the institution already indicates 46 departments on yellow alert for Thursday 20/11/2025. The winter shift intensifies and becomes severe cold alert: frequent frosts (often −2 to 0 °C, locally −3 to −4 °C in the east) and maximums limited (4 to 8 °C from the northeast quarter to the massifs) against 13 to 19 °C in Corsica. Snow showers arrive in Normandy and reach Hauts-de-France. Then, they move towards Île-de-France. Finally, they progress towards the east during the evening and night. In the massifs (Vosges, Jura, Massif Central, Northern Alps, Pyrenees), the rain-snow limit drops to 600 m (Vosges/Jura/Massif Central/Northern Alps) and to 1,000 m in the Pyrenees by the end of the day.
Departments on snow-ice alert today
The yellow alert for snow-ice concerns the large northern half and the center-east. The departments indicated by Météo-France for at least one phenomenon are: Ain, Aisne, Ardennes, Aube, Aveyron, Calvados, Cantal, Corrèze, Côte-d’Or, Côtes-d’Armor, Creuse, Doubs, Ille-et-Vilaine, Jura, Loire, Manche, Marne, Haute-Marne, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, Nièvre, Nord, Oise, Orne, Pas-de-Calais, Puy-de-Dôme, Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Haute-Saône, Saône-et-Loire, Paris, Seine-Maritime, Seine-et-Marne, Yvelines, Somme, Vosges, Yonne, Territoire de Belfort, Essonne, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val-de-Marne, Val-d’Oise. On the Channel coast, a northwest flow brings gusts sometimes 80–90 km/h and, for Pas-de-Calais, a risk of waves-submersion associated with wind and tide.
Local landmarks: in Côte-d’Or, the snow-ice alert extends from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. (Wednesday to Thursday night), especially on the heights (Châtillonnais, Morvan). In the Marne, it runs from 11 p.m. to 10 a.m. with mixed rain and snow and possible light falls around Étoges, Suippes, Sainte-Ménehould or Vanault-les-Dames. Impacts vary according to altitude and exposure: caution on plateaus and roads sheltered from the sun.
Timeline: from Wednesday evening to Saturday
Wednesday 19/11
- 6 a.m.: first national extension in yellow alert for snow-ice on a core of 25 departments (northeast quarter, part of the Massif Central and Île-de-France).
- 10 a.m.: rise to 44 departments for the day. The showers structure behind a front, advected by a northwest flow.
- Late afternoon/evening: snow showers more frequent in Normandy and Hauts-de-France, then spilling over into Île-de-France, Champagne-Ardenne, and the Grand Est. In the plains, the ground holding remains heterogeneous; the risk of ice increases with the cooling of the roads.
Thursday 20/11
- 46 departments expected on yellow alert for snow-ice (mostly snow-ice). Snow or rain-snow in Centre, Burgundy, Franche-Comté, north of Rhône-Alpes; mixed rain/snow possible in Île-de-France.
Friday 21/11 and Saturday 22/11
- Coldest period of the sequence: values 4 to 6 °C below normal. Maximums around 3–6 °C in Paris, Nancy, Toulouse.
Methodological note: the alert map is updated at least twice a day (usually 6 a.m. and 4 p.m.). The colors and the list of departments evolve based on the latest observations and models.
Why this winter episode now?
A polar air drop from the north installs cold and dry air at altitude. Meanwhile, milder and humid disturbances slide over the country. Thus, an air mass conflict forms, conducive to convective showers (snow showers). Moreover, this favors sleet, graupel, and ice if road surfaces cool below 0 °C. After an abnormally mild week for November, the transition to a winter regime is brutal: the thermal gradient favors localized snow storms and isothermy effects near sustained precipitation.
What this changes for travel
Yellow alert for snow-ice = be attentive: usual but locally dangerous phenomena. The main risks include icy roads and reduced visibility under showers. Additionally, gusts can cause branch falls. Thus, this can lead to occasional power outages. Finally, there may be delays on school transport or regional rail traffic.
Winter travel advice (adapted to safety recommendations)
- Adjust your speed and increase safety distances, especially at dawn and early evening.
- Anticipate travel time; postpone non-essential travel if conditions worsen on your route.
- Equip the vehicle: tires in good condition, wipers, anti-freeze washer fluid, lamp, scraper, blanket.
- Monitor trap areas: bridges, woods, wet roads, and shaded sections, prone to ice.
- Favor telecommuting or public transport when possible to limit exposure to brief but tricky episodes.
Weather alert France: consult the official alert map of Météo-France and the traffic maps of Bison Futé.
Which departments, what intensities?
- North / northeast: rain mixed with snow or sleet, snow episodes sometimes down to the plains, ice possible on cold roads.
- Channel coast: frequent showers driven by a northwest flow; gusts can reach 80–90 km/h. Winter storm alert: gusts up to 80–90 km/h over the Channel.
- Massifs: more sustained snowfalls; 5 to 20 cm depending on altitude and massif, more on the Alps.
- Burgundy-Franche-Comté / Grand Est: rain-snow and snow on plateaus and hills; Côte-d’Or and Marne: nighttime alert centered on 10 p.m.–10 a.m. and 11 p.m.–10 a.m..
Weather keywords: a useful glossary
- Yellow alert: basic alert level. Phenomena to watch; be attentive to Météo-France updates.
- Shower: brief and unstable downpour, sometimes mixed with sleet or snow. It can make the road slippery in minutes.
- Ice: ice formed by supercooled rain or by cooling of water on a surface below 0 °C. Very low adhesion.
- Rain-snow limit (LPN): altitude from which snow replaces rain. It drops when cold air sinks.
Uncertainty on Thursday: 37 or 46 departments?
Some media mention 37 departments on snow-ice alert for Thursday, while the national bulletin lists 46 (all phenomena combined). The discrepancy is due to the scope considered (snow-ice alone vs. all phenomena) and intra-daily updates. Reference: the national map of Météo-France.
At a glance: useful tools and official sources
- Météo-France alert map: updated at least twice a day (6 a.m., 4 p.m.), with details by phenomenon and by department: vigilance.meteofrance.fr.
- Understanding the Alert (official pedagogy): meteofrance.com/actualites-et-dossiers/quest-ce-que-la-vigilance.
- Real-time road traffic: Bison Futé maps: bison-fute.gouv.fr/maintenant.html.
- Useful definitions: ice: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verglas); shower: fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giboulée.
Prepare your evening and Thursday morning
- Before leaving: check the route, the alert level in your department, the traffic, and the road conditions. Allow for time margins.
- On the road: smooth driving, no sudden braking, use of engine braking, lights on during showers.
- On foot: watch out for icy sidewalks and stairs; prefer shoes with grippy soles.
- Communities: anticipate salting rounds, secure school access and bus stops.
Reference time: elements consolidated from the 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. bulletins of Wednesday 19/11/2025. Alert information is subject to change during the day and overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.
Editor’s note: Possible local transition to orange alert according to Météo-France, as updates occur.