A summery feel arrives at Easter, with temperatures up to 30°C expected in the Southwest

Coats still draped over chairs, and already the temptation of short sleeves. Starting Easter Monday, Météo-France is forecasting a "near-summer period" across parts of the country, with a significant rise in maximum temperatures. The Southwest will be on the front line, where the thermometer could reach 25 to 29°C and even, locally, peaks close to 30°C, particularly in Aquitaine.

On Monday, mild weather will extend across the southern quarter and west, with temperatures ranging from 19 to 25°C from the Pays de la Loire region to Burgundy-Franche-Comté and as far as the Southeast. The Rhône Valley could reach 26°C, while the northern half of the country will remain cooler, with temperatures between 14 and 20°C from Brittany to the North and Northeast. Two distinct weather patterns, for one day… before a possible return to warmer conditions.

The southern breeze pushes the mercury up

This return of heat has a simple, almost textbook explanation: a southerly flow bringing up warm air from North Africa. Meteorologist Guillaume Sechet indicates that the heatwave will first spread through the southwest and then across the rest of the country, a trend that could persist until Friday. In other words, it's not just a brief respite between showers; it's a sub-seasonal episode on the way.

Midweek, the mild weather could be surprising even in northern cities: Météo-France is forecasting 25°C in Paris, Rouen, and Rennes on Wednesday afternoon, 26°C in Alençon, and 27°C in Bourges. Reaching 30°C in April remains rare nationally, even if it's not unheard of, and the weather event will be monitored in subsequent weather reports. The persistent feeling remains that the seasons sometimes arrive early, and that spring, for its part, no longer waits for its turn.