France Heatwave Crisis: Record May Temperatures Trigger Orange Alert Across Western Departments

Temperatures on Tuesday are forecast to reach 32°C to 35°C across large parts of Brittany, with peaks of 36°C or even 37°C expected in the south. On Monday, dozens of monthly heat records were broken, including 33°C in Brest, 34.3°C in Nantes, and 34°C in Angers, which shattered a previous May record of 32.8°C from 1947.

Records Broken Across the Country

In the north, Arras recorded 30.7°C. Météo-France stated, "Auf ganz Frankreich bezogen war der Montag der heißeste Tag, der seit Beginn der Aufzeichnungen im Mai verzeichnet worden ist." It added, "In ganz Frankreich wird es heute noch heißer als am Montag."

Meanwhile, twenty departments — including those in the western half of the country, Paris and its inner suburbs, Rhône and Isère — are on yellow vigilance. This first alert level is already exceptional for May; 18 departments were included on Monday.

The heatwave has been driven by a "heat dome" — a high-pressure zone that has trapped hot air coming from North Africa over France and Western Europe. The phenomenon caused soaring temperatures across much of the country over the Pentecost weekend.

Ozone Pollution Adds to Health Concerns

Beyond France, temperatures across Europe reached unseasonal highs. London Heathrow recorded 33.5°C, and Spain's weather service forecast 36°C to 38°C from Wednesday to Friday.