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LeMonde
17 hours ago
- Climate
- LeMonde
Schools close, nuclear reactor shuts down and pollution peaks as France's heatwave drags on
Red and orange warnings have covered nearly the entire country, with only a few green patches along the English Channel, as France endures its first major heatwave of the season. On Tuesday, July 1, and Wednesday, July 2, France is bracing for the peak of an exceptionally long and intense heatwave that has already persisted for 13 days. On Monday afternoon, Météo-France, the French national meteorological service, prepared the country by placing 16 departments on red alert, the highest surveillance level set in consultation with the public health agency Santé Publique France and the Directorate General for Health. All departments in the Paris region were included, along with parts of the Centre-Val de Loire and Grand-Est regions. Another 68 departments remain on orange alert. Only five departments in the northwest, benefiting from maritime air, escaped the extreme heat. Today, 88% of mainland France's population is living in departments under close watch. "This is unprecedented in terms of area covered," said Minister for Green Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher, noting that "only" 81 departments were placed on orange alert on July 23, 2019. "This heatwave is remarkable for how early it began and how long it is lasting, probably about 15 days," analyzed Matthieu Sorel, a climatologist at Météo-France, recalling that the 1976 heatwave, the longest in recorded history, lasted 14 days. "But we are currently experiencing much higher temperatures. Global warming has taken its toll," he added.
LeMonde
19-06-2025
- Climate
- LeMonde
'Early' heatwave with temperatures reaching 38°C to sweep France, peaking Saturday
France hasn't even entered summer yet, and it's already going to be sweltering. The country was expected, starting Thursday, June 19, to undergo its 50 th heatwave since records began in 1947, with temperatures reaching up to 38°C in some areas. "It will be early, with remarkable heat levels for June, though not unprecedented," said Matthieu Sorel, a climatologist at Météo-France, the French national meteorological service. Starting Thursday, the already high temperatures are set to climb even further, reaching between 32°C and 35°C in eastern France. The reason is a blocking anticyclone over much of Europe that "allows for a gradual increase in heat," explained François Gourand, a forecaster at Météo-France. On Friday, a cold drop (a pocket of colder air at altitude) over the nearby Atlantic is expected to draw even hotter air from North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. As a result, temperatures are forecast to hit between 34°C and 36°C in western France and between 36°C and 38°C in the center-west and Mediterranean regions. Nights at a minimum of 20°C On Saturday, at the peak of the wave, the heat is set to be intense, with values frequently between 34°C and 38°C, especially throughout western France and the inland Mediterranean region. The nights will be tropical, meaning that temperatures will not fall below 20°C, preventing the body from getting a good night's rest. Other European countries, such as Spain and the United Kingdom, will also be affected.
