Heat Wave Ends in France, But Concerns Remain
The final heat wave of the year in France concluded on Monday, August 12th, affecting a large portion of the country. Météo-France issued orange alerts for forty units, indicating the severity of the situation.
Temperatures in the Paris region reached between 36°C and 38°C, while Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the Center, Burgundy, Haute-Normandie, and Hauts-de-France were also affected. This peak is expected to subside by Tuesday morning.
Several regions previously under yellow alert were downgraded, with Landes, Gironde, Charente-Maritime, Charente, and Gard no longer under alert. The southwestern region, which experienced temperatures of 40°C on Sunday, will experience a shift in the heat during the day, with the north and north-east expected to bear the brunt of the remaining heat.
The meteorological office explained that all orange-alert regions will revert to yellow, with the exception of Rhône, Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Isère, Drôme, Alpes-Maritimes, and Corsica.
Global Warming Impact
The heatwave in France this summer was not exceptional in terms of duration or temperature, despite reaching 41.4°C in Pissos, Landes. However, the European Copernicus observation organization declared this year to be the hottest ever recorded globally.
Record-breaking temperatures were also reported in Greece, Japan, and Morocco, highlighting the unprecedented global warming.
Human Cost
The excessive heat in France claimed the lives of 5,000 people in 2023 and 7,000 in 2022, primarily among those over 75 years of age.