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Arctic outbreak breaks numerous minimum temperature records for the month of May, France

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).

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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One Comment

  1. 52 × 70 = 3640 WEEKS of years
    1967 + 52 = MAY 18TH & 19TH,
    my birth day! SEE YOU AT QUARTER MOON WATCHERS!
    I AND THE ANGEL ARMY WAS WAITING A LONG TIME FOR THIS! WAR IS HAIL ISN’T IT?

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