The weather conditions are improving but remain difficult for part of France. Nineteen departments in the Paris region and the Grand-Est are still on snow-ice orange vigilance this Thursday morning, on the third day of this winter episode which caused the suspension of many school transport. However, the situation should return to normal at airports.
Up to 25 departments in the northern half were classified as orange alert on Wednesday, but the phenomenon has eased in Brittany and Normandy where there should only be a few sporadic snowfalls, according to Météo-France.
A difficult time for school transport
School transport was particularly disrupted by this cold snap. In Eure-et-Loir, buses, school and regular, will be suspended this Thursday. Already interrupted on Wednesday in several departments, they are still interrupted in Eure and Aube. In Brittany, none of the school buses from the BreizhGo network will circulate in the departments of Morbihan (daytime) and Finistère (morning). On the other hand, they will resume in the Côtes d’Armor and in Ille-et-Vilaine. School transport will also be in service again in the Vosges, where the orange snow-ice vigilance is lifted, and in the Meuse.
In the east, snowfall is expected until the evening. In Meurthe-et-Moselle, “late night temperatures (…) will be negative” and could in particular cause “the refreezing of wet roads”, warned the prefecture. The cold will remain sharp and freezing rain will also threaten the North and Pas-de-Calais. The sky will also be overcast in the morning with some light snowfall possible in the interior of Brittany and Pays-de-la-Loire, and rain near the ocean.
On the air traffic side, while many flights were canceled on Wednesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) indicated that the flight schedule for the day on Thursday should be normal.