A month of flood alerts in France
Since the beginning of 2026, a succession of low-pressure systems moving in from the Atlantic has affected France, bringing prolonged and heavy rainfall. As a result, several areas of the country have remained under orange or red alert for 30 consecutive days. During this time, 81 departments have been placed on alert simultaneously for 154 rivers, representing the highest number ever recorded at one point in time.
Among the latest low-pressure weather systems, Storm Nils affected south-western France, causing the Garonne River to overflow, inundating roads and residential areas in the region of Bordeaux. The flooded areas are visible in red tones in this image acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites on 13 February 2026.
In response, the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS) has been activated on 11 February 2026 (EMSR866) to provide rapid flood mapping and support emergency management authorities. More information is available here.
