Ecology

Climatic Change is not a fiction. It is already biting

27/06/2019

Heatwave LATEST: Most of France placed on alert as temperatures spike

Heatwave warnings were extended across more of France on Tuesday with much of the country now on Orange alert for searing temperatures, which are expected to rise above 40C in some cities.

French weather forecaster Météo France has issued orange alerts – the second highest warning – for 65 départements in France, leaving a warning map that now covers the majority of the country.

Some 53 departments were already on alert on Monday as the Mercury began to rise.

The warnings began in Paris and the surrounding areas before spreading south and east.

The départements that were put on orange alert on Tuesday are; Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Ardèche, Aveyron, Haute-Garonne, Lot-et-Garonn, Lozère, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Sarthe and Vaucluse.

The départements that remain on alert from Monday are Ain, Allier, Ardennes, Aube, Cantal, Charente, Cher, Corrèze, Côte-d’Or, Creuse, Dordogne, Doubs, Drôme, Eure-et-Loir, Indre, Indre-et-Loire, Isère, Jura, Loir-et-Cher, Loire, Haute-Loire, Loiret, Lot, Marne, Haute-Marne, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, Nièvre, Puy-de-Dôme, Bas-Rhin, Haut-Rhin, Rhône, Haute-Saône, Saône-et-Loire, Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Paris et petite couronne, Seine-et-Marne, Yvelines, Deux-Sèvres, Tarn, Tarn-et-Garonne, Vienne, Haute-Vienne, Vosges, Yonne, Territoire-de-Belfort, Essonne et Val-d’Oise.

It is thought that temperatures during the heatwave – which is forecast to go on all week and reach its peak on Thursday and Friday – will spike at 40C, but forecasters have warned that accompanying high humidity will make the temperatures equivalent to 47C, particularly in cities.