Episode of Gel: France has seen its coldest night for a month of April since 1947

The FNSEA calls for a “accompaniment” of the state because there is “calamity to declare”, especially in the arboriculturists.

Le Monde

It had not happened for seventy-five years. The night of Sunday 3 to Monday, April 4 has recorded the lowest temperatures for one month of April since 1947, announced Meteo-France, Monday. “The gel touched more than 90% of the country and was more or less intense according to the zones, said the France Presse Agency (AFP) the forecaster of Meteo-France Patrick Galois, there was a rapid fall of temperatures During the night but it warms quickly. “

📊 Cold monthly records were beaten in Mourmelon in the Marne (-9.3 ° C), Châteauroux
(-5.6 ° C), Cognac and … https://t.co/582lt78cks “/p>-eofrance (@ weather-France)

The public institution specified that records were beaten, including Mourmelon (Marne, – 9.3 ° C), Châteauroux (Indre, – 5.6 ° C) or Vannes (Morbihan, – 3.2 ° C) and that the last measures were being verified. “As soon as the sunrise, the temperatures will go up and should be positive about everywhere at 10 o’clock,” added Mr. Galois.

According to the weather-France, the very fresh air layer, very fine, will dissipate quickly with the appearance of the sun and requires quite little energy to be reduced. The meteorological forecast organization also pointed out that it should be the last night for the weeks to come.

In anticipation of this particularly cold night, the RTE electricity network manager had alerted a potential tense situation on Monday morning, calling companies and individuals to curb consumption, especially between 7 hours and 10 hours. Consumption was ultimately a little less than expected, with no shutdown, said Rte, in the morning.

Particularly affected arboriculturists

Christiane Lambert, the president of the first French agricultural union, FNSEA, expressed concern on Monday morning. “There are many affected areas, such as Dordogne, Burgundy, Alsace, Center-Val de Loire, Lot-et-Garonne, Maine-et-Loire,” she said. “It will take an accompaniment” of the state, because there is “calamity to declare. We can not do a balance sheet yet, because the damage, we see them when it thaws”.

In the agricultural world, winemakers and market gardeners, in particular, have attempted to protect the buds better, and therefore the future harvests, extremely sensitive to these spring gels.

Vine Buds covered with ice, in a vineyard near Chablis, Burgundy, Monday, April 4, 202. Thibault Camus / AP

“It is really the arborists, in view of the state of play of the orchards, which will be very strongly impacted. I think of the plum, I think of the Mirabelle, I think To all fruits in core and apple in these sectors, “brought together Jérôme Despey, Secretary General of the FNSEA. He said that “for the vine in these areas, there was a precocity that was less, there were still many buds that were not hatched. Where there are two or three leaves spread, there are A will have important gels, but it’s hard at that time, when still everyone fights, to have a specific point “.

/Media reports.