Snow outside Angers could lead to water rise later

The famous "angevine mildness", depicted by the french poet, Joachim du Bellay, when he returned to his native province from Rome in 1558, could be true in winter. While nearby administrative departments, like Indre-et-Loire, Sarthe, Mayenne and Ille-et-Vilaine, are under "orange alert", because of the risk of snow, Maine-et-Loire was, till now, no affected even if snow was predicted last december 17th.

But that doesn't mean Angers is unaffected. On sunday afternoon, in Saint-Laud railway station, many trains were delayed till two hours because of meteorological difficulties in the North of Maine-et-Loire. During days to come, Météo France doesn't foresee snow but only an overcast weather with temperatures ranging from 2 to 9 degrees, winds reaching 20km/h and rains. There is no snow till the end of the year. In the recent days, inhabitants only noticed a thin layer of snow in the early hours of saturday. The fire brigades recorded three losses of control without physical casualties.

The situation is so very different of a severe winter experienced in Angers and Maine-et-Loire. In 2009 for example 6 degrees under zero were recorded in Angers. The mildness yet noticed centuries ago comes from the double influence of the oceanic and continental climates, with rainy winters and scarce frosts. But every advantage has its reverse. In Anjou, it is the rivers, and especially Loire, floods. If Météo France does not forecast snow and does not foresee inundations, everyone knows snow uphill comes always downhill.