An intense Mediterranean episode, caused by the passage of storm Aline, is concentrated in the Alpes-Maritimes this Friday, the department being placed on red alert since 4 a.m. and until 10 a.m. by Météo-France. While schools will remain closed all day and shopping centers have had to lower the curtain as a precaution, significant amounts of rain are expected, accompanied by strong gusts of wind.
In its 6-hour situation update, the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture forecast, over the entire episode, precipitation of 50 to 60 mm on the coast and 130 to 150 mm on Mercantour on average, with peaks at 200 mm, or even up to 300 mm, locally, in the Tinée, Vésubie and Roya valleys, damaged in October 2020 by storm Alex. “The Météo-France forecasts are therefore confirmed and the situation will become more intense at the start of the morning”, noted the State services, while reassuring, at this stage: “the flow rates of the rivers are being monitored and do not present any significant danger at this time.
Up to 120 km/h of wind on the ridges
More than 700 firefighters from the department are mobilized with an extra-departmental reinforcement column from Bouches du Rhône and Var.
“The wind, with gusts of 80 to 100 km/h on the coast and up to 120 km/h on the crests, is strong and will continue until early morning. »
The Alpes-Maritimes are also on orange wave-submersion alert, like the entire Mediterranean coastline in mainland France and the south of Corsica. In Nice, the southern roadway of the Promenade des Anglais was cut off to traffic. In Cannes, “by decision of the mayor, due to the intensification of the swell and the violent winds, the Boulevard du Midi is closed”, also indicated the city of festivals at 7:25 a.m.
The departments of Hautes-Alpes and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence are also on orange rain flood alert. The Ardèche is on orange “flood” alert, the Doux having overflowed.