OUR France on which the third wave rolled heat in midsummer, which is intensifying in the south of the country, is now completely drought-stricken, after Paris and its suburbs were put on “vigilance” after the driest July on record.

France is expected to record highs of 35°C or higher on Wednesday (3/8), with maximum temperatures reaching 39-40°C in the southwest, according to the national meteorological service forecast.

Temperatures are high enough to put 27 of the 96 departments in metropolitan France into the orange heat, from Bas-Rhin (northeast) to Vaucluse (southeast) and Haute-Garonne (southwest). Most of these prefectures are located in the eastern part of the country.

This heat peak “will continue into Thursday with a shift to the east” and is expected to be shorter in duration and intensity than the previous heatwave in mid-July, according to Météo-France. However, the recurring heatwaves make things extraordinarily difficult, putting the most vulnerable people and nature to the test.

“We are concerned about these constant recurrences of heat waves” that “do not allow organizations to return to normal operations,” explains Isabelle Bonmarrin of France’s National Public Health Service (SPF).

“We expect increased mortality, mainly among people aged 75 years and older,” adds her colleague Robin Lagargue, specifying that “the count will be carried out in September.”

These heatwaves are also exacerbating a very long drought that has gripped the entire country, with Paris and its nearby departments in turn being issued a “drought warning”.

July 2022 was the warmest July on record in France since records began in 1958–1959, and the second driest July on record (after March 1961).

The total amount of precipitation was only 9.7 mm, which is 84% ​​deficit compared to the normal level.

Sources: AFP, APE.