Mediterranean Episode

Mediterranean Episode - Following the violent storms on the Côte d'Azur this weekend which killed four people several questions have arisen on the frequency and violence of these storms. Global warming, experts have noted a shift in heavy rainfall, from mid-October to mid-December.

The departments of Alpes-Maritimes and Var were affected by torrential rain. The whole area was placed on a red alert by Météo France on Saturday and the sirens were sounded in Nice warning residents to stay at home.

What weather experts call "the Mediterranean episode" is a typical occurrence at this time of year in the region, with some forecasters calling  it "the Mediterranean monsoon".

In some places of the Var, the equivalent of two to three months of rain fell in 24 to 48 hours. In total, firefighters from the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes made some 2,000 interventions including 171 helicopter rescue operations.

Météo France have carried out a climate study in the south of France from 1961 to 2015 showing that these Mediterranean episodes will become more and more frequent and intense.

Stating that in 50 years, the global temperature has increased by 1.7 ° C, the Mediterranean episodes have increased by 22% and the frequency of heavy rainfall has doubled over this period.

According to the specialists, whatever the scenarios envisaged by 2050, whether due to the release of CO2 in the atmosphere is controlled or not, the process of global warming will lead to an increase in the phenomena.

Another point is urbanisation which prevents water from being naturally absorbed by the earth. One spokesperson for Meteo france added that  "due to urbanization we inevitably have floods in areas that we did not have ten years ago".

 

Last local news

Evening Update Thursday 7th August 2025

A major pile-up involving around ten vehicles, including a truck and a motorcycle, occurred early on the 7th of August in the Las Planas tunnel on the... Evening Update Thursday 7th August 2025 Read More

07/08/2025

Banque Havilland Monaco rebrands as Moncrief Private Bank after acquisition

Banque Havilland (Monaco) SAM will relaunch as Moncrief Private Bank (Monaco) SAM in late 2025, following its acquisition by an international investor... Banque Havilland Monaco rebrands as Moncrief Private Bank after acquisition Read More

07/08/2025

Monaco bans electric scooters and bikes for under-14s in major road safety shake-up

Monaco has introduced a new road safety law that bans children under 14 from using electric scooters or electric bikes on public roads. The change is ... Monaco bans electric scooters and bikes for under-14s in major road safety shake-up Read More

07/08/2025

Update on wildfire in France

A devastating wildfire in southern France has burned through more than 16,000 hectares of vegetation in the Aude region, an area larger than the city ... Update on wildfire in France Read More

07/08/2025

French and Riviera News Thursday 7th August 2025

A devastating wildfire in southern France has destroyed over 15,000 hectares, making it the country’s worst blaze since 1949. French Prime Minister Fr... French and Riviera News Thursday 7th August 2025 Read More

07/08/2025