What was only a hypothesis two days ago is becoming a certainty: as in June, a disturbance located off Portugal will trigger a heat wave in France next week. “Heavy heat will set in at the start of next week with temperatures reaching 38°C from Monday,” warns Météo France. This heat will be “sustainable” and will extend north during the week with a peak expected on the weekend of July 16 and 17. The phenomenon should evolve into a heat wave, indicates the French meteorological service.
39°C are expected locally in the Southwest and Southeast on Tuesday. In the rest of France, no territory will experience temperatures below 30°C that day. They will be locally above 35°C in New Aquitaine, Occitanie and in the Rhône Valley. In Île-de-France, the thermometer could climb to 36 ° C.
Already this weekend, a gradual rise in temperatures is expected by the South, without a heat wave risk at first. Next week, the air will continue to heat up stronger and stronger. “This heat wave should therefore be intense and long-lasting, in many regions of the country”, alert Météo France.
The south of the country has already been plagued by gigantic fires for a few days: hundreds of firefighters were fighting Thursday afternoon “a multiplicity of fire starts” in Gard and Bouches-du-Rhône, in “extreme” conditions , facing a strong mistral and soils affected by an early drought. The fire, now fixed, ravaged 650 ha.
VIDEO. “Mega fire” in the Gard: the fire, still in progress, will “last several days”
Since 1947, France has experienced 44 heat waves. The last officially recorded heat wave took place in June.