This new heatwave was expected to be less intense than the one that hit the country in the second half of June, but French forecasters were still urging caution, especially among the most vulnerable, with the hot conditions set to remain for several days.
Nine more départements added to the alert list
An additional nine départements along the west and southern coasts of France have been placed under orange alert since Saturday, bringing the total number due to be hit by temperatures well above the seasonal average to 16 by Monday.
More départements are expected to be added over the coming days, according to Météo France.
From 12pm on Monday the départements of Charente (16), Charente-Maritime (17), Dordogne (24), Gironde (33), Landes (40), Lot (46), Lot-et-Garonne (47), Deux-Sèvres (79), and Vendée (85) have been placed under orange heatwave warning.
Temperatures in these areas were due to hit between 37C and 39C inland, and between 35C to 38C along the coast.
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Heatwave to intensify and spread from Tuesday
Forecasts showed that the heatwave will continue to intensify on Tuesday and spread northward - meaning more départements are very likely to be given an orange 'heatwave' warning as the week unfolds.
On average, temperatures were due to reach up to 35°C in affected areas in the northern half of the country and up to 40°C in those in the southern half.
Overnight temperatures were set to remain 'tropical' too, with minimums of between 20°C and 25°C.
In the nine départements added to the heatwave map on Monday, maximum temperatures were expected to range from 38C to 40C inland on Tuesday and from 32C to 36C along the coast.
Only départements on the northern coast, and the northeastern borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany, were forecast to experience more forgiving temperatures, with maximums of around 30C.
Overview of the week
Monday will bring tropical nights nationwide except in the northwest and northeast, with daytime highs up to 35°C as far north as Brittany and Île-de-France, and 37C to 40C from the Gironde estuary to the Gulf of Lion.
On Tuesday the heatwave will intensify further, with daytime highs of up to 37C north of the Loire, rising to 40C south of it, though the Riviera and Corsica stay closer to 30C. Overnight temperatures are set to reach 25C in Paris.
Wednesday (see map below) will see temperatures cool slightly in the north (up to 36C) but they will stay hot further south, with maximum temperatures in the Bordeaux-to-Hérault corridor hitting around 40C.
Thursday will see daytime highs of around 35C across most of the country, and widespread tropical nights, with Paris above 25C and Perpignan near 30C overnight.
By Friday, nighttime temperatures will stay above 20C to 25C almost everywhere, with afternoon highs peaking at 37C in Brittany to to 39C in the Basque Country and the Massif Central, with 35C typical elsewhere.
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