Forecasters predict another long, hot and dry summer in France
The heatwave that struck France in 2019 broke temperature records all over the country, but forecasters say that the summer of 2020 will also be unusually hot and dry.
Weather forecaster Météo France has published its seasonal forecast and predicts that June, July and August will all be hotter and drier than normal in France.
Temperatures are already warming up and the southern French city of Montepellier recorded a temperature of 30C on Tuesday, May 19th, the first time a temperature of over 30C had been recorded so early in the year.
On Thursday temperatures of 30.1C were recorded in Niort and Angers, 30.5C in Paris and 31.8C in Béziers.
READ ALSO Eight French expressions to help you complain about the heat
Paris in 2019 activated its emergency heatwave plan to protect the elderly and vulnerable. Photo: AFP
The 2019 canicule (heatwave) broke France's all-time temperature record with the mercury climbing to 46C in the Hérault département, while towns all over the country broke their own local records, including Paris where a temperature of 42.6C was recorded on July 25th.
While Météo France is not predicting individual records, it says that June, July and August will all be hotter than seasonal averages.
"This has been a very regular phenomenon in recent years, a sign of global warming," notes Michèle Blanchard, climatologist at Météo France.
There is also forecast to be a long dry spell with predictions that 58 French départements, roughly half the country, will be officially in drought conditions.
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Weather forecaster Météo France has published its seasonal forecast and predicts that June, July and August will all be hotter and drier than normal in France.
Temperatures are already warming up and the southern French city of Montepellier recorded a temperature of 30C on Tuesday, May 19th, the first time a temperature of over 30C had been recorded so early in the year.
On Thursday temperatures of 30.1C were recorded in Niort and Angers, 30.5C in Paris and 31.8C in Béziers.
READ ALSO Eight French expressions to help you complain about the heat
Paris in 2019 activated its emergency heatwave plan to protect the elderly and vulnerable. Photo: AFP
The 2019 canicule (heatwave) broke France's all-time temperature record with the mercury climbing to 46C in the Hérault département, while towns all over the country broke their own local records, including Paris where a temperature of 42.6C was recorded on July 25th.
While Météo France is not predicting individual records, it says that June, July and August will all be hotter than seasonal averages.
"This has been a very regular phenomenon in recent years, a sign of global warming," notes Michèle Blanchard, climatologist at Météo France.
There is also forecast to be a long dry spell with predictions that 58 French départements, roughly half the country, will be officially in drought conditions.
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