SNCF announced on Tuesday that it was interrupting several TER connections in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Grand Est regions, while La Chaîne Météo warned of the occurrence of “violent” or even “exceptional” thunderstorms in the region.
The Weather Channel has placed 22 departments in eastern France on orange alert for storms and heat waves. “A violent stormy degradation is taking place from the center-east to the northeast at the end of the day on Tuesday. A first salvo of thunderstorms is likely to be particularly violent and will put an end to the heat wave, at least, in the north of the Rhône-Alpes region. Franche-Comté and southern Alsace are now placed on red alert. A second, equally violent salvo is expected next night from Aveyron to the north of the Alps,” she said.
In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the lines connecting Lyon to Bourg-en-Bresse, Paray-le-Monial, Macon, Ambérieu, Saint-Étienne and Roanne are particularly affected and have been interrupted since 2:30 p.m. The Ambérieu-Bourg-en-Bresse, Bourg-en-Bresse-Macon and Bourge-en-Bresse-Saint-Amour lines must stop running at 4 p.m.
In Bourgogne-France-Comté, the trains between Besançon and Saint-Amour, Morteau or Clerval have not run since 3:00 p.m. Same thing for Dole-Vallorbe, Vesoul-Culmont and Paray-Montchanin. In Alsace, some lines will be interrupted at the end of the afternoon.