A remarkable Mediterranean episode is hitting the Southeast today and tomorrow. It is generating thunderstorms, intense and lasting rain, likely to cause floods and flash floods. This episode can have serious consequences for the safety of people and property. Absolute vigilance is required, and the advice of the authorities should be followed.
Dangerous phenomena of exceptional intensity are forecast. Stay regularly informed of the evolution of the situation and imperatively respect the safety instructions issued by public authorities. Follow the evolution of the situation by consulting the meteorological Vigilance.
To follow the evolution, the location of ongoing rain or floods, Météo-France and the Vigicrues network of the Ministry of Ecological Transition offer two information tools, APIC and Vigicrues Flash. These free automatic warning services complement the meteorological Vigilance and the Vigicrues flood Vigilance. Alerted by SMS, email and voice message, subscribers (prefectures, town halls, intermunicipal authorities and operators) of the two services APIC and Vigicrues Flash can follow the evolution and location of the rainy episode or ongoing floods -> https://apic.meteofrance.fr
Heavy precipitation can have serious consequences for the safety of people and property. They can cause flooding by runoff and overflow of watercourses, but also landslides, mudflows and torrential lavas (debris flows). The behavior advice delivered by the authorities must be followed.
Let us have the right reflexes in the face of intense rain and sudden floods. A very intense Mediterranean episode is currently affecting the relief and plains of the Southeast. It causes thunderstorms and torrential rain. The rains rising from the Mediterranean and becoming blocked on the Cévennes and their piedmont strengthened significantly at the end of the night from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Thursday, October 1, intense stormy rains continue around the Gulf of Lion and continue their progression eastward during the day. Accumulations can still be significant between southern Gard, Bouches-du-Rhône and western Var. At the end of the week, temperatures will return to levels close to seasonal averages. Friday, October 2, the sun will return to northern France, showers will persist in the southern regions.
A Mediterranean episode is an episode of very heavy precipitation over a short duration (1 h to 24 h in general) affecting Mediterranean departments, most often in autumn. The equivalent of several months of precipitation can fall in only a few hours or a few days, which can be dangerous and locally cause heavy damage. Mediterranean episodes occur three to six times a year on average. We speak of a Cévenol episode when intense rains become blocked on the Cévennes massif.
This is the first Mediterranean episode of the season, the season generally extending from September to December. The last Cévenol episode took place at the end of December 2025. More than 300 mm had been recorded in the Cévennes (Cirque de Navacelles, Mont Aigoual), 140 mm in Montpellier, 90 mm in Nîmes.
Mediterranean episodes are more intense today than in the 1960s. The most extreme events are also more frequent. In the future climate, an increase in the intensity of these events is expected. Over the period 1961-2025, the frequency of intense rain episodes (more than 200 mm in 24 h) in the Mediterranean increased by 50%, with very high variability from one year to another. Over the same period, there is an 11% increase in the intensity of Mediterranean rains. According to the Reference Warming Trajectory for Adaptation to Climate Change (TRACC), intense precipitation could increase by 15% on average over France, with increases up to 20% in the northern half of the country, in a France at +4 °C, by 2100. This intensification concerns all rainy events, notably winter episodes in northern France, but also Mediterranean episodes.
