France set for hottest October ever, with 30C forecast for Thursday
France is on course for the hottest October ever recorded, with temperatures of 30C forecast for the south of the country on Thursday.
Unusually hot temperatures have been recorded across France during the month of October, with these set to increase even more as the week goes on - French weather forecaster Météo France is predicting 30C for the south west on Thursday, while northern and central France will see temperatures of 23C-25C.
The unusual temperatures put France on course for the hottest October on record, with average temperatures 4C higher than seasonal norms.
The below map from Météo France shows the forecast highest temperatures for Thursday and Friday.
🌡️📈 Le flux de sud-ouest en altitude, déjà bien établi depuis une dizaine de jours sur l’Europe de l’Ouest, va continuer cette semaine à ramener de l’air particulièrement doux pour la saison sur notre pays.
➡️https://t.co/L0PPYVyZfU pic.twitter.com/Y6CVpDeCsP
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) October 25, 2022
In the short term this is good news for France's sobriété enérgetique (energy-saving plan) for winter, since homes and businesses can delay turning on the heating and therefore save gas and electricity, but in the longer term scientists warn this is linked to the climate crisis and globally rising temperatures.
"It's not good news because it's a sign of increasingly obvious global warming," said Fabio d'Andrea, a climate specialist at France's CNRS research institute.
The hot weather has also coincided with low rainfall, meaning that many parts of France are still suffering from extreme drought, with water restrictions in place.
This is The Dordogne in Gironde, SW France, this morning (the end of October).
All the foreground would be underwater, normally.
Night temperatures are staying in high teens instead of single figures.
Our poor planet. pic.twitter.com/Wyj7nlJXSn
— Franglaise (@frangla) October 24, 2022
The summer saw the worst drought in at least 40 years, and in many places the water table has yet to refill - around two thirds of France still has some form of drought restrictions in place. Overall the summer of 2022 was France's second hottest on record, after 2003.
"The water tables are at their lowest and the soils are dry to at least two meters deep," Joel Limouzin, responsible for climate risk management at France's biggest farmers' union the FNSEA, told Le Parisien.
"We would need continuous rain for several weeks for the water to penetrate deep underground."
The longer term winter forecast for Europe predicts a 'cold blast' in December, but overall a warmer than average winter.
Comments
See Also
Unusually hot temperatures have been recorded across France during the month of October, with these set to increase even more as the week goes on - French weather forecaster Météo France is predicting 30C for the south west on Thursday, while northern and central France will see temperatures of 23C-25C.
The unusual temperatures put France on course for the hottest October on record, with average temperatures 4C higher than seasonal norms.
The below map from Météo France shows the forecast highest temperatures for Thursday and Friday.
🌡️📈 Le flux de sud-ouest en altitude, déjà bien établi depuis une dizaine de jours sur l’Europe de l’Ouest, va continuer cette semaine à ramener de l’air particulièrement doux pour la saison sur notre pays.
— Météo-France (@meteofrance) October 25, 2022
➡️https://t.co/L0PPYVyZfU pic.twitter.com/Y6CVpDeCsP
In the short term this is good news for France's sobriété enérgetique (energy-saving plan) for winter, since homes and businesses can delay turning on the heating and therefore save gas and electricity, but in the longer term scientists warn this is linked to the climate crisis and globally rising temperatures.
"It's not good news because it's a sign of increasingly obvious global warming," said Fabio d'Andrea, a climate specialist at France's CNRS research institute.
The hot weather has also coincided with low rainfall, meaning that many parts of France are still suffering from extreme drought, with water restrictions in place.
This is The Dordogne in Gironde, SW France, this morning (the end of October).
— Franglaise (@frangla) October 24, 2022
All the foreground would be underwater, normally.
Night temperatures are staying in high teens instead of single figures.
Our poor planet. pic.twitter.com/Wyj7nlJXSn
The summer saw the worst drought in at least 40 years, and in many places the water table has yet to refill - around two thirds of France still has some form of drought restrictions in place. Overall the summer of 2022 was France's second hottest on record, after 2003.
"The water tables are at their lowest and the soils are dry to at least two meters deep," Joel Limouzin, responsible for climate risk management at France's biggest farmers' union the FNSEA, told Le Parisien.
"We would need continuous rain for several weeks for the water to penetrate deep underground."
The longer term winter forecast for Europe predicts a 'cold blast' in December, but overall a warmer than average winter.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.