Some have specific memories of it, others have necessarily heard of it.
The heat wave of August 2003 remained etched in people's minds, so strong was its impact.
It is back in the news in mid-July 2022, because the exceptional heat wave expected in the coming days in France could reach or even exceed the magnitude of that which occurred 19 years ago.
Should we take the risk of the unprecedented/a "black swan" event seriously?
The answer is definitely YES: the planets are aligned.
Impossible to insure it within 7 days, but the impact of a heat wave stronger than 2003 would be such that it must be anticipated at all levels!
24/N
— Christophe Cassou (@cassouman40) July 10, 2022
Several measures have been taken in the meantime (air conditioning in nursing homes, triggering of alert plans, etc.), and France is therefore supposed to be better prepared to face such a heat wave.
Back, in a few figures, 19 years back.
44.1°C
This is the maximum temperature that has been recorded in France, in this case at the weather stations of Saint-Christol-les-Alès and Conqueyrac in the Gard.
It was then an absolute record, beating very little the 44 ° C reached in Toulouse on August 8, 1923 or in Vallon-Pont-d'Arc (Ardèche) on July 6, 1982 then July 30, 1983, reports Meteo France.
It took 16 years for this new record to be beaten: on June 28, 2019, it was up to 46°C in Vérargues (Hérault).
9
This is the number of consecutive days during which the maximum temperature exceeded 36 degrees in Paris, precisely from August 4 to 12, 2003. It was more than 20 ° C each night from August 3 to 14 in the capital, with peaks minimum temperature at 25.5°C during those of August 11 and 12.
In Orange, the thermometer exceeded 38°C at the hottest of the day for 13 consecutive days, from August 3 to 14.
Overall, three quarters of France suffocated.
39.5°C
This is the maximum temperature reached in Paris on August 11, 2003. 19 years later, this is still an absolute record for the month of August in the capital.
Read also“The 2003 heat wave will become the norm”: heat waves, floods… what climatologists predict for Île-de-France
30.3°C
This is the minimum temperature recorded in the middle of the night in Menton, on August 6, 2003. Until now, even during the heat waves that have occurred since 2003, the thermometer has always dropped below 30°C during the night everywhere in France.
About 15,000
This is the number of deaths linked to the heat wave of August 2003, according to an estimate made by Inserm at the request of the Ministry of Health.
In their initial report, released on September 25, 2003, the experts noted that the excess mortality compared to a typical month of August increased with age: + 20% among 45-54 year olds, + 40% among 55- 74 years old, + 70% among 75-94 year olds and + 120% among over 95s.
Women were more affected than men (excess mortality of +70% versus +40%).
In addition, “42% of excess deaths occurred in hospitals, 35% at home, 19% in retirement homes and 3% in private clinics”, it is reported.
61,506
This is the number of hectares of forest that went up in smoke in fires in 2003, largely during the very hot weather in August.
The vast majority of these areas were located in the South.
The department of Var "alone accounts for a third of the area of forest burned in 2003", according to a report by Vincent Clément, lecturer at the École Normale Supérieure in Lyon.
