UPDATED October 2, 09:35: Heavy rain is expected along the Côte d’Azur after Storm Alex makes landfall before dawn on Friday, October 2. For at least 12 straight hours from 08:00 rain is forecast, heavy at times, accompanied by high winds and gusts reaching 100 kph. An orange alert was issued for the region, and this was upgraded to a red alert, with potential loss of life, on Friday morning.

The worst of the storm is expected on Friday afternoon and evening, and the red alert is likely to stay in place until the early hours of Saturday.

The heaviest downfalls are expected on Friday evening. Nice Airport and the area between Monaco and Menton may see more than 150mm of rain within 24 hours, while Liguria will be worse hit, with Genoa likely to see more than 300mm of rain. The prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes will open a crisis centre from 07:00 on Friday.

The good news is that good weather can be expected from dawn on Saturday.

Monaco’s schools will remain open on Friday (see related story: https://news.mc/2020/10/01/monaco-schools-to-remain-open-on-friday/)