Expanded orange heat wave warning issued for 42 southern French departments on Sunday, up from 28 on Saturday
France Braces for Second Heatwave with Temperatures Soaring Above 40°C
France is once again facing a heatwave, with temperatures predicted to frequently reach or surpass 40°C, according to Météo-France. The current heatwave episode is expected to last until mid-next week in the south.
The number of departments under orange heatwave alert has increased to 42 in the southern half, effective Sunday, August 10. The initial list of departments under orange alert includes various departments in the southern half of France, such as Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes, Gironde, Dordogne, Charente-Maritime, Charente, Corrèze, Haute-Vienne, Lot-et-Garonne, Lot, Gers, Hautes-Pyrénées, Haute-Garonne, Tarn-et-Garonne, Aveyron, Tarn, Ariège, Aude, Pyrénées-Orientales, Hérault, Lozère, Gard, Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Alpes-Maritimes, Cantal, Rhône, Puy-de-Dôme, Haute-Loire, Loire, Allier, Ardèche, Drôme, Isère, Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Ain, Hautes-Alpes, and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The Jura and Saône-et-Loire have been added to this list.
In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Corsica coasts, minimum temperatures will be a bit more than elsewhere, while in the Pyrénées-Orientales to the Rhône valley in the southeast, nights will become very warm with minimum temperatures between 21 and 25°C on Sunday. Elsewhere, minimum temperatures will be between 18 and 21°C on Sunday.
Maximum temperatures will be slightly up or stable in the south with widespread 38 to 40°C on Sunday. Specifically, peaks of 42°C were forecast for Nîmes and 40°C for Perpignan. Other cities like Bordeaux and Toulouse experienced around 38°C during the hottest part of the day. In some southwestern areas like Charente and Aude, temperatures reached up to 43°C, prompting the highest heat alerts.
Heatwaves in summer typically see elevated night temperatures, often in the mid-20s Celsius range, given the prolonged and intense daytime heat described. Alerts up to red level in multiple departments indicate extreme heat with substantial health risks.
In summary, the second heatwave in France in August 2025 involves maximum temperatures frequently at or above 40°C in southern France, reaching up to 43°C in some southwestern parts. Daytime highs commonly range from 35°C to 42°C across much of the southern half and central regions. Citizens are advised to take precautions to stay safe during this extended period of high temperatures.
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Students in France, especially those specializing in environmental science and French, may find this heatwave a compelling topic for their scientific research or cultural analysis. The second heatwave in August 2025 is significantly impacting the regional weather patterns, with temperatures frequently reaching or surpassing 40°C in the southern half of the country, making it a critical time to study the effects of climate change on French environmental science.
