An “intense and lasting” heatwave episode continued on Tuesday August 22 over a large part of France with 49 departments placed by Météo-France on orange vigilance and 4 on red vigilance: Ardèche, Drôme, Haute-Loire and the Rhône. Fifteen additional departments are to go into red vigilance on Wednesday, Météo-France added: Ain, Loire, Isère, Lozère, Gard, Vaucluse, Hérault, Aveyron, Tarn, Tarn- et-Garonne, Aude, Lot, Lot-et-Garonne, Haute-Garonne and Gers. The agency also announced that Monday was the hottest day ever measured after August 15 in the country.
“In the Rhône Valley as well as in the east of the Massif Central, the heat continues to intensify”, underlines the public establishment, noting the “exceptional nature” of the phenomenon in this area “due to its intensity and its duration “. Red vigilance for the risk of a heat wave is triggered in Ardèche, Drôme, Haute-Loire and Rhône on Tuesday from 3 p.m. Heat wave orange vigilance will be extended to Deux-Sèvres, Vendée and Vienne, i.e. still nearly fifty departments in heat wave orange vigilance in total.
“The minimums often do not drop below 20-22°C, or even 23-25°C locally, especially in urban areas. The maximum range between 36 and 39 ° C in general, “says Météo-France. “It is still on the Drôme and the Ardèche that the most severe temperature levels are expected, with frequently more than 40-42 ° C for the maximum”, warns the organization again. The heat wave peak is expected Tuesday and Wednesday in the center-east of the country, and Wednesday and Thursday in the Southwest.
A fire in the Hautes-Alpes
In the Hautes-Alpes, a fire which broke out on Sunday evening in Chanousse was still not fixed on Monday afternoon and had totally or partially destroyed more than a hundred hectares, according to the prefecture. The risk of fire starting is exacerbated by extreme temperatures.
The very high temperatures will continue until the middle of the week, with 39 to 42 ° C expected on Wednesday and Thursday, in the south-west and the Rhône valley, before a drop in temperatures which will begin gently on Friday, according to Météo -France.
On the other hand, from Brittany to the northern borders as well as on the Atlantic coast, despite a slight increase, the heat will remain less marked. On the relief of the Pyrenees, the Southern Alps and the Massif Central, cumulus clouds will develop in the afternoon and will lead to a few showers, even thunderstorms on the east of the Pyrenees chain.