During floods in Corsica, the Solenzara station records the absolute rainfall record in France, with 434.3 mm of rain in three hours

The precipitation records recorded on Tuesday, October 20, in Solenzara (Southern Corsica), testify to the historic nature of the current Mediterranean episode. In three hours, the weather station of this seaside town on the eastern coast of the island received 420.6 mm of rain, according to Météo-France, far exceeding the previous rainfall record recorded in France and Corsica. On September 19, 2020, during a previous Mediterranean episode, the Valleraugue weather station (Gard) received 344.3 mm of rain during the same period of time, which was hitherto unprecedented.

With 196.2 mm of rain falling in one hour, the Solenzara station also far exceeded the previous highest value, 160 mm recorded on October 13, 1986 at Mas Nérel (Pyrénées-Orientales).

Faced with the intensification of precipitation, Météo-France placed Haute-Corse on red “rain-flood” alert on Tuesday midday and Corsica-du-Sud on orange alert. On the border between the two departments, Solenzara, as well as many municipalities in eastern Corsica, are experiencing a "very active Mediterranean rainy-stormy episode, of exceptional level locally", according to the organization, which adds that "it is likely that 500mm will be exceeded in the area near Solenzara."

“This event is rewriting the climatology of extreme rains in France, particularly the one-hour and two-hour accumulation records,” meteorologist François Jobard commented in the morning on the Bluesky social network. Forecaster, Gaétan Heymes noted in the morning values ​​which "exceed all the references observed in mainland France" with, as support, a satellite image showing a storm cell stationary over eastern Corsica.

Faced with this extraordinary rainfall, local authorities have increased calls for caution, inviting the population not to go out, not to approach watercourses and not to enter a flooded road, on foot or by car.

At 3 p.m., the Haute-Corse prefecture announced “20 interventions (...) in progress and 90 others (...) deferred” in the department. “All actors on the ground are mobilized to deal with this meteorological episode,” continued the State services, adding that “national civil security resources have already been mobilized” and the arrival Wednesday morning “of a reinforcement column from the continent”.