Clermont-Ferrand faces pronounced weather swings this Friday, August 21, with dense morning cloud cover and high humidity. Temperatures start near 18°C and climb to 21°C as the morning progresses. Winds begin light from the southeast at 5 km/h, with gusts up to 15 km/h. They then strengthen quickly and shift direction, reaching 15 km/h with gusts to 30 km/h from the west-northwest. The thick clouds gradually thin, pointing to a change in the afternoon.
The city’s terrain helps shape these changing conditions. The Puy de Dôme and the Chaîne des Puys shelter Clermont-Ferrand from prevailing westerly winds, contributing to a drier local climate than in nearby uplands. Regional descriptions characterize Auvergne summers as warm but sometimes unsettled or stormy. That pattern can bring quick changes in wind direction and cloud cover, while humidity also shifts.
By midday, the weather takes a dynamic turn. The sky clears briefly, becomes overcast again in mid-afternoon, then opens to clearer conditions by evening. Temperatures climb from 22°C to a high of 25°C before easing to 24°C as the day closes. Winds from the west and west-southwest fluctuate between 10 and 20 km/h, with gusts reaching 45 km/h. Gusts differ from average wind speed: station systems such as Infoclimat record them separately, along with humidity and wind direction. Shifting clouds and brisk winds continue into the evening, keeping the atmosphere unsettled.
As night falls, the temperature holds near 24°C before dropping to around 20°C late in the evening. Cloud cover varies: skies turn overcast around 19:00, then clear again. Winds remain active from the west, later turning west-southwest, at 15 to 20 km/h with gusts up to 40 km/h. Humidity rises steadily through the night, leaving the air damp.
Overnight into Saturday, the weather remains humid and relatively mild. Temperatures hold at 19°C before dipping to 17°C by dawn. Winds initially blow from the west at 20 km/h, with gusts up to 40 km/h, then gradually weaken to 5 km/h. They shift from west-northwest to east-southeast, then back toward west-southwest. The sky stays mostly clear as humidity continues to edge upward.
Saturday is set to begin at 16°C under heavy clouds. Cloud cover lessens by mid-morning, then thickens again in the early afternoon. Temperatures are expected to reach 23°C by late day. Winds start light from the west, then turn northeast and east-northeast, increasing from 5 to 10 km/h with gusts up to 25 km/h. Humidity is forecast to drop noticeably as the day progresses.
Rapid weather changes are common in August, when shifting air masses can bring sudden swings in temperature and wind. A recent sharp drop in temperatures and heavy rains affected other parts of Europe earlier this month, reflecting the volatility of late-summer weather. Residents in Clermont-Ferrand are advised to watch for changing conditions, especially with strong gusts and fluctuating cloud cover expected throughout the day.
