Orange Weather Alert for Storms in Northern France
Listen to the story
Several departments in northern France have been placed on orange alert for thunderstorms this Thursday. The Aisne, the Marne and the Ardennes are all affected.
An orange alert is the second-highest level in the French weather warning system. It tells people that dangerous weather is expected and that they should take precautions.
The storms are expected to bring heavy rain, strong wind and hail, which is made of small pieces of ice that fall during severe storms.
The Seine-et-Marne department has also been put on orange alert. There, forecasters expect wind gusts of up to 70 km/h, along with thunderstorms and hail.
In addition, the Haute-Marne and the Marne have been placed under orange alert for storms, according to Météo-France, the national weather service.
This means that a large part of northern France will be affected by unsettled weather on the same day.
Local authorities usually advise residents to avoid unnecessary travel, secure loose objects outside their homes and stay informed through official weather updates during an orange alert.
People are also warned to be careful of falling branches, flooding and lightning, all of which can happen during strong summer storms.
Vocabulary4 words
- orange alert
- an official warning that weather could be dangerous
- hail
- small hard balls of ice that fall like rain
- wind gusts
- short bursts of strong wind
- Météo-France
- the national weather agency of France
Quiz
Answer key
1. Aisne, Marne, Ardennes, Seine-et-Marne and Haute-Marne 2. Thunderstorms, wind and hail 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Several departments in northern France have been placed on _____ alert for thunderstorms this Thursday. The Aisne, the Marne and the Ardennes are all affected.
An orange alert is the second-highest level in the French weather warning _____. It tells people that dangerous weather is expected and that they should take precautions.
The storms are expected to bring heavy rain, strong wind and _____, which is made of small pieces of ice that fall during severe storms.
The Seine-et-Marne department has also been put on orange alert. There, forecasters expect wind _____ of up to 70 km/h, along with thunderstorms and hail.
In addition, the Haute-Marne and the Marne have been placed under orange alert for storms, according to _____, the national weather service.
This means that a large part of northern France will be affected by _____ weather on the same day.
Local authorities usually advise residents to avoid unnecessary travel, secure loose objects outside their homes and stay _____ through official weather updates during an orange alert.
People are also warned to be careful of falling branches, _____ and lightning, all of which can happen during strong summer storms.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever experienced a strong thunderstorm? What happened?
- Why do you think weather agencies use color-coded alert systems?
- What precautions do you think people should take during an orange storm alert?
- How do you usually check weather warnings in your own country?