France: Orange weather alerts remain for 15 departments January 30 /update 2

Event

As Wednesday, January 30, orange weather alerts (the second-highest on a four-tier scale) remain in place in 15 administrative regions, including, the Aisne, Ardennes, Aube, Aveyron, Côte-d'Or, Marne, Haute-Marne, Meuse, Nièvre, Nord, Oise, Pas-de-Calais, Saône-et-Loire, Somme, and Yonne departments, due to adverse weather conditions (i.e. snow, ice) following the passage of winter storm Gabriel. Heavy snowfalls between 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) are expected in the abovementionned departments. Further related air and rail disruptions, as well as hazardous driving conditions are expected throughout the day; some roads and highways in the affected areas will reportedly remain closed to traffic, while train disruptions (dalays and cancellations) are also likely, notably in the Paris region. Power outages also continue to affect at least 41,000 households across the country as of Wednesday morning (local time). According to forecasts, disruptions are expected to persist until at least Thursday, January 31.

Context

On January 29, the storm brought winds of up to 130 km/h (80 mph) along with heavy snowfall in 41 departments across France, which prompted Paris' Orly International Airport (ORY) to cancel several flights, and the national rail operator SNCF, to cancel several trains.

Advice

Individuals in affected areas are advised to keep abreast of weather alerts, confirm travel reservations, and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities.