As France continues to swelter on Monday with an unprecedented 49 départements on red alert for heat - the highest level, indicating a danger to life - the country's health minister has warned that the hot weather is likely to continue.
READ ALSO: What does a Météo France red level heatwave warning mean?
Health minister Stéphanie Rist, speaking on TF1 on Monday, said there is "no certainty" about when the heatwave will end, adding that: "We are on track for, at a minimum, a few more very hot days."
On Monday temperatures are predicted to top 40C across swathes of central and western France, including Paris, while temperatures of up to 43C are predicted in Bordeaux.
French weather forecaster Météo France said that Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday "could see France's hottest ever day" - exceeding the national record of 48C that was set in 2019.
Tuesday
Météo France predicts that on Tuesday "temperatures will rise slightly". The zone of the country expected to see temperatures of between 40C and 42 will expand to “extend from the interior of the Landes département to the Lot, stretching northwards towards the Rennes area and Touraine”.
It is forecast to be 39C in Rouen, 40C in Paris, 41C in Nantes and 43C in Bordeaux.
Wednesday
The temperatures are expected to be the same on Wednesday, when most of the country is expected to hit 40C, although the zone of 40C-42C temperatures in the west will shrink slightly.
Thursday
Météo France predicts that temperatures will begin to fall from Thursday, but warns that it will not be a sudden drop, more a slight dip in the highest temperatures seen.
The whole country will remain very hot, with a slight increase in temperatures in the Grand Est region. The 'tropical nights' - where the temperature does not fall below 20C, even at night - will continue for most of the country.
Friday and the weekend
On Friday a band of more humid air will start to move in from the Atlantic, which should begin to lower temperatures, especially in the west.
However Météo France warns that it cannot make detailed temperature predictions more than a week in advance, and adds that this heatwave is more likely to slowly retreat, rather than breaking suddenly.
The forecaster added that it expected temperatures to remain hot over the weekend and into the start of the following week.
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