France Breaks More Than 100 All-Time Heat Records As Heatwave Intensifies

ISTANBUL, June 23 (Bernama-Anadolu) – France broke more than 100 all-time heat records on Monday as an intense heatwave continued to grip the country, with temperatures exceeding 40C (104F) in several regions, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

A total of 459 heat records were broken or matched nationwide, including 102 all-time records, according to broadcaster BFM.

In the south-western city of Bordeaux, temperatures reached 41.9C (107.4F), the highest level recorded in 106 years of observations.

An all-time record was also set in Saintes, where weather records date back 111 years.

The latest developments came as France recorded its hottest night in seven years from Sunday night into Monday.

The night was reported to be the hottest since the July 2019 heatwave, with the average national temperature standing at around 21.4C (70.5F).

In Paris, national weather service Meteo-France also recorded a minimum temperature of 24.2C (75.6F) overnight, breaking a nearly 10-year-old record.

The extreme heat is expected to continue, with forecasts indicating that temperatures will rise further throughout the week.

In the coming nights, temperatures are expected to remain unusually high, ranging between 23C and 26C (73.4F-78.8F) in some parts of the country.

Several departments across France have been placed under red or orange alerts as a heatwave grips the country, with temperatures expected to rise to around 40C (104F).

Meteo-France raised the alert level for Monday, placing 49 departments under red alert and 40 under orange alert.

Meteo-France said Monday was the third-hottest day ever recorded in France since 1947.

The heatwave has also affected daily life, with National Education Minister Edouard Geffray announcing over the weekend that 845 schools would remain closed on Monday due to the extreme heat, while another 1,800 schools would adjust their operating hours.

Meanwhile, the national spokesperson for civil security, Jerome Boulanger, told broadcaster ICI Paris that 13 people had drowned since Saturday.

“During this heatwave, cooling down and staying hydrated are very good things, but when people go swimming, it really needs to be in a supervised location,” Boulanger said.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU