The mercury will rise sharply. After the South at the start of the week, the heat wave will spread from this Thursday and intensify over a large part of the territory. Météo France has placed six departments on orange heat wave vigilance: Ardèche, Drôme, Isère, Haute-Savoie, Rhône and Savoie. "The Lyon region and the surrounding departments will stay three days with high temperatures, exceeding 37 to 40 ° C in the afternoon", analyzes Jean-Yves Choplin, forecaster at Météo France. The night from Thursday to Friday will be particularly hot: in Île-de-France, the thermometer will not drop below 21 ° C. Heat records could even be broken.
This Friday, Météo France plans a "maximum geographical extension" of the heat wave, which will move in a good half of France to the Center, Île-de-France, Grand-Est and Franche-Comté regions. Paris and its surroundings should be close to 40 ° C this Friday. "The hot and muggy weather will contribute to making this day particularly painful in terms of feeling" specifies Météo France. But in the Paris region, the temperature should drop from Saturday. This phenomenon is explained by a rise of hot air from Spain, combined with strong sunshine and dry air.
Redouble vigilance
However, France will not be affected by a heatwave itself. Météo France requalifies an episode of high heat in a heatwave when temperature thresholds predefined by departments are exceeded for three consecutive days and nights. They will be, but over a too short period to speak of a heat wave.
Already concerned about the health crisis, the French, and in particular people at risk, will however have to be extra vigilant. With the heat, it will sometimes be difficult to respect the barrier gestures, and in particular the wearing of a mask. If the mercury will drop overnight from Friday to Saturday, the Rhone Valley will experience heat peaks until Sunday. “We also expect stormy conditions in the Pyrenees, the Massif Central and the eastern side of the country. Cooler air will enter from the west, ”notes Jean-Yves Choplin. France should return to normal temperatures in the middle of next week.