France



CLIMATE


Southern France lies in the Mediterranean climate zone, with mild winters and hot summers. In the rest of the country winters are cool and summers are mild. In the mountainous regions winters are cool with lots of snow.





Temperatures

The average monthly temperatures: 0-8ºC in February and 16-24ºC in August. The average water temperature in the Mediterranean Sea:  13ºC in winter and 22ºC in summer, and in Northern France: 10ºC in winter and 19ºC in summer.


Precipitation

Annual total precipitation: 600 mm on the coast (of the Mediterranean Sea), 1000 mm on the coast (of the Atlantic Ocean) and in the (Arden).


Paris

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Day temperature [°C]

6

7

11

14

18

21

24

24

21

15

9

7

Night temperature [°C]

1

1

3

6

9

12

14

14

11

8

4

2

Hours of sunlight

2

3

5

6

7

8

8

7

6

4

2

2

Corsica

Day temperature [°C]

14

14

15

17

21

25

29

28

26

22

17

14

Night temperature [°C]

6

6

7

9

12

15

17

18

16

13

9

7

Water temperature [°C]

14

13

13

14

18

21

23

25

22

18

18

14

Hours of sunlight

4

6

7

8

9

11

12

11

8

6

5

4

Marseille

Day temperature [°C]

11

12

14

17

21

26

29

28

25

20

14

12

Night temperature [°C]

3

3

6

8

12

16

19

18

16

11

7

3

Water temperature [°C]

14

13

13

14

18

21

23

25

22

18

18

14

Hours of sunlight

4

6

7

8

9

11

12

11

8

6

5

4

Lyon

Day temperature [°C]

7

9

13

15

21

23

26

27

21

17

10

7

Night temperature [°C]

1

2

4

6

11

13

16

16

12

9

3

1



Elevation extremes

Highest point: Mont Blanc 4 807 m
Lowest point: Rhone River (-2) m


Natural resources

coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber


Land use

Arable land: 33,46%
Permanent crops: 2,03%
Other: 64,51%


Natural hazards

flooding, avalanches, midwinter windstorms, drought, forest fire (along the Mediterranean)


Environmental issues

forest damage, air pollution, water pollution