AtelierLe journal · French, understood
English

Language

The course

Updated

Real document

Read a French weather bulletin: vigilance orange and rafales

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

A Météo-France-style weather alert: vigilance levels, wind gusts, heavy rain and advice. Understand what's coming and what you should do.

In short

French weather alerts use colours: vert (no risk), jaune (be attentive), orange (be very vigilant: dangerous weather) and rouge (absolute vigilance). Bulletins mention rafales (gusts) in km/h, cumuls de pluie in mm and conseils de comportement (what to do).

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A person storing a garden chair indoors as a storm approaches the Breton coast.
Put loose furniture away before les rafales arrive. Illustration: Atelier

Météo-France

Bulletin de vigilance · Bretagne

NiveauVIGILANCE ORANGE · vent violent

Débutmardi 18 h

Finmercredi 12 h

Situation

Une tempête aborde les côtes bretonnes mardi soir.

Rafales de 100 à 120 km/h sur le littoral, 80 à 100 km/h dans les terres.

Fortes pluies : cumuls de 30 à 50 mm.

Conseils

Limitez vos déplacements.

Rangez ou fixez les objets susceptibles d'être emportés.

Ne vous promenez pas en bord de mer.

Prochaine mise à jour : mardi 16 h

Question 1No account needed
What level is the alert?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

orange. Vigilance orange · vent violent.

Question 2No account needed
Where are the strongest gusts?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

on the coast. 100–120 km/h sur le littoral.

Question 3No account needed
When does the alert end?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Wednesday noon. Fin: mercredi 12 h. Check it in the text above.

Question 4No account needed
What should you do with garden furniture?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

put it away or tie it down. Rangez ou fixez les objets.

Question 5No account needed
Rafales are…

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

gusts of wind. Sudden strong gusts. Check it in the text above.

Words from the document

Vocabulary
FrenchEnglish
la vigilancealert level
une rafalegust
le littoralcoast
dans les terresinland
les cumulsrainfall totals
une tempêtestorm

On TV, the forecast is la météo; Météo-France publishes the official map, updated twice a day. During a red alert, schools may close and authorities may ban travel. Weather words appear constantly in small talk: Quel temps de chien ! (What awful weather!)

  • Il y a une vigilance de orange.Il y a une vigilance orange.

    The colour follows directly.

  • Les rafales sont de 100 km/h vitesse.Les rafales atteignent 100 km/h.

    Atteindre: to reach.

Keep going