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NatureTravel183 words1 min read

Strong Storms to Hit Southeast France This Thursday

A city skyline with a lightning bolt in the sky
Photo by Dmitry Voronov on Unsplash
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Listen to the story

France is expecting strong storms in several departments this Thursday. A department is a small administrative area used in France, similar to a region. Weather services have warned that these storms could be violent.

This news comes after a period of intense heat across the country. A heatwave means many days of unusually high temperatures. Now, the weather is expected to change quickly.

The most affected area will likely be the south-east of France, where violent storms are expected at the end of the week. Storms often bring heavy rain, strong wind, thunder, and lightning.

After the heatwave, forecasters say the weekend will bring stormy weather. This means more rain and wind, along with cooler temperatures than before.

The temperature is also expected to drop this weekend. This will bring some relief after the recent heat, although the change in weather may cause travel or safety issues in the areas hit by storms.

People living in the affected departments have been advised to follow local weather warnings and stay updated with forecasts, as strong storms can sometimes cause flooding or damage.

Vocabulary10 words

storm
very bad weather with strong wind and rain
department
a small administrative area in France
heatwave
many days of very hot weather
south-east
one side of a country or area
violent
very strong and possibly dangerous
thunder
the loud sound during a storm
lightning
a bright flash of light during a storm
stormy
having storms
weather warning
an official message about dangerous weather
forecaster
a person who predicts the weather

Quiz

1. Where are the strongest storms expected?
2. What happened just before the storms were forecast?
3. According to the forecast, will the weekend be cooler than before?

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

France is expecting strong _____ in several _____ this Thursday.

This news comes after a period of intense heat, known as a _____.

The most affected area will likely be the _____ of France.

Storms often bring heavy rain, strong wind, _____, and _____.

After the heatwave, forecasters say the weekend will bring _____ weather.

People have been advised to follow local weather _____ and stay updated with forecasts.

Discussion questions

  1. Have you ever experienced a sudden change from very hot weather to storms? What was it like?
  2. Why do you think storms often follow a heatwave?
  3. What safety steps do you think people should take when a storm warning is issued?
  4. Do you think weather forecasts are usually accurate in your country?

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