20 Departments in Southern France Under Orange Alert for Severe Thunderstorms

Météo-France has issued an Orange Alert for 20 departments in southern France due to active thundery showers, accompanied by violent wind gusts (90-120 km/h), hail, heavy rainfall (up to 30 mm in one hour), and intense electrical activity. The end of a Vuelta cycling stage was cancelled due to violent hailstorms in the Pyrénées-Orientales, and a tornado also struck near Carcassonne in Aude.