29°C in Pau, 28°C in Biarritz and up to 26°C in Bordeaux.
Here are the temperatures that the thermometers will display on Wednesday March 29 in the south-west quarter of France and which would almost make us forget that we are only at the end of March.
And the astonishment is all the stronger as this rise in temperatures is sudden.
Indeed, both Bordeaux residents and Pau residents will experience an increase of almost 8 degrees in one day.
This rise in temperatures will also affect the northern half of France: it will be 21°C in the capital on Wednesday March 29 against 11°C the day before or even nearly 17°C in Strasbourg against 9°C the day before.
“A peak of warmth and softness”
How to explain this heat stroke?
"
It's a peak of heat and sweetness
," says Le
Figaro
Cyril Bonnefoy, meteorologist at the Weather Channel.
“
It is due to the rise of subtropical hot air which arrives from the Maghreb in a flow which passes to the southern sector
”, he continues “
which makes these masses of hot air rise in altitude
”.
The expert then returns to
the “foehn effect
” which occurs when masses of air encounter relief.
“
The southerly wind blows over the Pyrenees
” and “
the air mass then tends to dry out, to warm up as it descends over the foothills
”, explains the expert.
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Normally, these temperatures are only reached a few days or even weeks later.
"
The first 20°C are usually reached in Paris on
April 3, so there are a few days in advance
," explains the meteorologist.
In the same way, the south-west of France normally experiences its first 25°C between April 9 and 10.
“
There are therefore ten days in advance for this part of the country, which is rarer
”, explains Yves Bonnefoy before adding: “
We are here on values for the month of June with these almost 30°C
”.
Screenshot of a map of France: "When do we reach the first 20°C?"
The Weather Channel.
Screenshot of a map of France: "When do we reach the first 25°C?"
The Weather Channel.
Back to seasonal normals at the end of the week
These summer temperatures will not last long, however.
"
It's going to be the hottest day of the week and even since the start of the year, but we will quickly return to seasonal normals
", explains Yves Bonnefoy, adding that this drop will be "
in stages
" after the passage of the disturbance.
The expert also adds that there will certainly be late frosts at the end of the week or the beginning of next week, which could pose a real problem for the fruit trees which are already budding.
“
This peak of mildness will accelerate the early budding of certain trees which may freeze in the days to come
,” he warns.
