Weather Alert: Strong Storms, Hail, and Tornado Risk in France
Listen to the story
France is preparing for a stormy weekend as two weather depressions move across the country. Forecasters warn of heavy rain and strong wind affecting many areas.
Along with the wind and rain, meteorologists have warned of violent storms, hail, and a risk of tornadoes. Hail can damage cars, roofs, and crops, while tornadoes bring fast spinning winds capable of destroying property.
The stormy conditions have already caused serious problems for French agriculture. The kiwi fruit industry has been especially hard hit, with reports of heavy damage to crops. This is a major concern for growers who depend on a good harvest.
Weather experts say the situation is unusual because of the two separate depressions arriving at the same time, making conditions more unpredictable. Authorities are asking residents to follow official weather alerts closely over the coming days.
People planning to travel or work outdoors this weekend are advised to take extra precautions. Farmers, in particular, are watching the skies nervously as more bad weather could increase losses.
This kind of severe weather has become a growing worry in recent years, as sudden storms increasingly affect farming and daily life across France.
Vocabulary11 words
- depressions
- large weather systems that bring rain and wind
- forecasters
- people who predict future weather
- storms
- very bad weather with strong wind and rain
- hail
- small hard balls of ice falling from the sky
- tornadoes
- very fast spinning winds
- crops
- plants grown by farmers for food
- harvest
- the collecting of grown food
- weather alerts
- official warnings about dangerous weather
- agriculture
- farming; growing food and plants
- precautions
- actions taken to stay safe
- unpredictable
- hard to know what will happen next
Quiz
Answer key
1. Because two depressions are arriving at the same time 2. The kiwi fruit industry 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
France is preparing for a stormy weekend as two weather _____ move across the country. Forecasters warn of heavy rain and strong _____ affecting many areas.
Along with the wind and rain, meteorologists have warned of violent _____, _____, and a risk of _____. Hail can damage cars, roofs, and crops, while tornadoes bring fast spinning winds capable of destroying property.
The stormy conditions have already caused serious problems for French _____. The kiwi fruit industry has been especially hard hit, with reports of heavy damage to _____.
Weather experts say the situation is unusual because of the two separate _____ arriving at the same time, making conditions more _____.
People planning to travel or work outdoors this weekend are advised to take extra _____. Farmers, in particular, are watching the skies nervously as more bad weather could increase losses.