Arctic outbreak breaks numerous minimum temperature records for the month of May, France
A surge of very cold Arctic air affecting much of Europe over the past 4 – 5 days broke numerous minimum temperature records for the month of May across the French Alps. On a national level, May 6, 2019 was the coldest May morning over the past 40 years.
While the snow generally fell in moderate amounts, up to 15 cm (5.9 inches) in the Pyrenees, 20 cm (7.8 inches) in the Alps, 50 cm (19.6 inches) in some areas of the Belledonne and Beaufortain mountain ranges, 60 cm (23.6 inches) in Vanoise and up to 80 cm (31.4 inches) at the Mont-Blanc, the temperatures were truly remarkable, Meteo France reported May 7.
Savoie registered -14.3 °C (6.2 °F) on the morning of May 6, breaking the previous record of -12.1 °C (10.2 °F) set on May 7, 2014 (records there began in 1997; elev. 2 560 m / 8 398 feet).
Isere registered -15.5 °C (4.1 °F) on the same day, breaking the previous record of -15.4 °C (4.2 °F) set on May 5, 1991 (records began in 1984; elev. 2 940 m / 9 645 feet).
Hautes-Alpes registered -16.6 °C (2.1 °F), breaking the previous record of -15 °C (5 °F) set on May 5, 1991 (records began in 1991; elev. 3 100 m / 10 170 feet).
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence registered -11.5 °C (11.3 °F) breaking the previous record of -10.6 °C (12.9 °F) set on May 7, 1997 (records began in 1996; elev. 2 550 m / 8 366 feet).
L'offensive hivernale de ce début mai n'a pas épargné les massifs montagneux. La neige n'est toutefois tombée le plus généralement qu'en quantités modérées. C'est dans le domaine des T°C que cette offensive hivernale s'est révélée le plus remarquable. https://t.co/dB06p2K8x9 pic.twitter.com/dV9ijG2anV
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) May 7, 2019
Malgré le radoucissement de la masse d'air, en l'absence de vent permettant le refroidissement de l'air au-dessus des sols, quelques records mensuels ont été encore battus ce matin, plus nombreux dans le Sud-Est. #froid #gelées pic.twitter.com/ZEoIenGXnq
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) May 7, 2019
#Froid 06/05/19 || En moyenne sur la France, cette matinée de lundi a été la plus fraîche pour un mois de #mai depuis 1979, soit 40 ans (moyenne des mini. sur la France : 2,5°C). Elle rentre ainsi dans le top 12 des matinées de mai les plus fraîches depuis 1947. #gelées. pic.twitter.com/tztBYn2vE7
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) May 7, 2019
Soum Couy station in the Pyrenees registered -9.3 °C (15.2 °F), breaking the previous record of -7.9 °C (17.7 °F) set on May 7, 1997 (records there began in 1997).
The coldest temperature during this cold spell was recorded at the automatic station installed at the top of the Aiguille du Midi (3845 m / 12 614 feet, Mont-Blanc): -21.6 °C (-6.8 °F) on May 5, breaking the previous record of -21.2 °C (-6.1 °F) set on May 7, 1997.
In the Pyrenees, the -14.7 °C (5.5 °F) recorded on May 5 at the peak of Midi de Bigorre is very close to the record in 137 years of measurements, -15.1 °C (4.8 °F) set on May 7, 1997.
Similar May cold spells were in 1997 and 1991.
Minimum May temperatures from 1947 – 2019. © Météo-France
The minimum average temperature in France on Monday morning, May 6 was 2.5 °C (36.5 °F).
The value is 6.1 °C (10.9 °F) below the daily climatological average and coldest in the past 40 years.
Read more:
Historic Arctic outbreak affecting Europe and northern Africa
Record May snowfall in Switzerland
Copenhagen sets record for coldest May day ever, Denmark
Surprise snowstorm leaves 30 people with hypothermia, France
Featured image credit: NASA Terra/MODIS. Acquired May 6, 2019
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