France is preparing for a sweltering Sunday, marked by a peak of intense heat across the entire southern half. Temperatures are expected to reach between 35 and 40°C, locally higher, with possible peaks of 43°C in the coming days. In the north, the heat will remain more moderate thanks to an easterly wind, but the mercury will still climb to between 28 and 32°C in the afternoon.
A heat wave that will spread
Starting Monday, the heatwave will spread northward and affect nearly three-quarters of the country. While mornings will begin with already high temperatures, afternoons will be particularly harsh, especially in the southeast and southwest. A few local thunderstorms could break out in the mountains late in the day, but they will not be enough to provide lasting cooling. Météo-France has placed 42 departments on orange heatwave alert, while La Chaîne Météo has placed 25 on alert.
This episode is expected to continue until midweek, with temperatures often above 35°C across much of the country. On Wednesday, while sunshine will still dominate, the arrival of clouds could herald a change in the weather and more severe thunderstorms.
