Unprecedented Heatwave Sweeps Across France in October: Record-Breaking Temperatures Expected

More than 30 degrees over a large part of the country, even 35 degrees locally… The mercury is expected to reach levels never recorded in a tenth month of the year, with a peak expected on Monday.

At the hottest of the day on Sunday, the thermometer will display 21 to 26 degrees near the English Channel and the northern borders, 26 to 31 degrees over the rest of the northern half as far as Rhône-Alpes as well as the edge of the Mediterranean. , 28 to 32 degrees elsewhere, up to 32 to 34 or even 35 in the South-West.

From the south of Toulouse to Gironde, the expected maximums are more than 10 degrees above seasonal norms, a symbol of climate change which is increasing extreme and late phenomena, forcing populations to adapt.

“It’s not even Indian summer, it’s still summer!” », summarizes for AFP Olivier Proust, forecaster from Météo-France. “It is exceptional because the air masses at play over the country have a remarkably high thermal characteristic. » The national heat record for the month of October, held by Ajaccio with 35 degrees and, on the continent, by Dax with 34.7 degrees, could fall.

«Litanie of records»

“We will probably still have a litany of records from the South-West region to the Center and even Burgundy, as well as the entire Atlantic coast,” confirms Olivier Proust. These unprecedented temperatures come in the wake of a historic September, the hottest on record, continuing a series of almost two years above seasonal norms.

This remarkable warmth, for what is technically meteorological autumn (which begins in September), is consistent with climatologists’ observations that human-caused climate change is increasing not only the severity of heatwaves but also their earlier or later onset. .

The latter is also causing a greater rise in temperatures in Europe than globally: while the global climate is now around 1.2°C warmer than before the industrial era, the increase is estimated at 1. 8°C in France.

“In October, we will find ourselves with temperatures of this type more and more often,” confirms Mr. Proust.

Review > Weather report – A heat record in September 2023 in France
> 2023 continues to set records in Europe in terms of temperatures

2023-10-01 23:47:35
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