The month of January 2024 should be around 0.6°C higher than normal seasonal temperatures, marking a series of 24 consecutive months without falling below normal, Météo-France announced on Thursday.
“Since February 2022, all months have been above normal, except April 2023”
, which for its part was just in line with the normals for the years 1991-2020, indicates the public establishment in its monthly report for mainland France .
Spring temperatures
The country certainly experienced a marked winter episode from January 7 to 14, with snowfall and cold records in places (for example -14.7°C in Arras on January 19).
But
“from January 22, a remarkable mildness settled over France, until the end of the month, with spring temperatures in the south of the country and particularly around the Mediterranean or near the Pyrenees where numerous records were recorded
,” recalls Météo-France.
So January should ultimately end above seasonal norms
“with around +0.6°C”
, according to preliminary data.
This mildness in January, which normally marks the heart of winter, is noticeable at altitude.
In another bulletin published Wednesday, Météo-France underlines that at the Pic du Midi observatory, at 2,880 meters in the Hautes-Pyrénées,
“we recorded an unprecedented series of 6 consecutive days without frost from January 24 to 29 »
.
Previously, frost-free streaks in January had never exceeded three days in a row.
“This mild sequence will continue during the first part of February, probably until the middle of the month, thus probably acquiring a remarkable character in terms of its duration across the country
,” forecasters warned.
Météo-France does not make the link between this specific wave of mildness and climate change.
However, climatologists have established that cold waves are fewer and less severe in our warming climate.
Heat waves are more frequent and more severe, but also earlier and later.