Heatwave brings rain of records
Vichy is hottest spot in Europe and sweltering heat hits Dieppe and Boulogne – but storms are hitting the west
THE July heatwave has seen record temperatures across northern France with Melun in Seine-et-Marne hitting 39.4, Dieppe, in Seine-Maritime, on 38.3C and Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais) at 35.4C but Vichy was the hottest spot in Europe, nudging 40.1C.
Paris has never been so hot since 1947 but it fell just short of 40C at 39.7C and records fell at Roissy, Nemours, Troyes, Evreux, Beauvais, Rouen, Amiens and Lisieux. Overall, Météo France says temperatures are 10C above seasonal norms.
Commuters felt the brunt in the capital, with air pollution still being high and rail transport badly affected by electrical failures at Gare du Nord, Gare d'Austerlitz and Gare Saint-Lazare plus on the RER services.
However, thunderstorms are expected from the west this morning, although clearing by mid-afternoon. Thundery weather in the west has already seen temperatures falling, with a maximum of 20 in Vannes.
Any lasting rainfall will be welcome in Indre-et-Loire, where three communes have already put water restrictions in place and are handing out bottled water to residents.
Today 47 departments are on orange alert with temperatures in Lorraine, Alsace and Rhône-Alpes expected to reach maximums of 35C-39C and night-time temperatures above 20C. Strasbourg was 30C this morning.
Météo France has warned that it could be the hottest heatwave in French history and this map shows where it felt most warm and humid http
This could be the hottest heat wave in French history, warns MeteoFrance:
http://t.co/fEf5Ka8ONL pic.twitter.com/3K3j5rqpZG— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) July 1, 2015
Getting a good night’s sleep is difficult in the heat and sleep specialist Dr Sylvie Royant-Parola told Sciences et Avenir magazine people should:
Drink plenty of water – and avoid alcohol late in the evening
Eat a light meal as digestion raises body temperatures
Take a warm shower just before bedtime – and, if it is very warm, not to dry off completely
Leave an open basin of water in the bedroom or hang up wet washing to moisten the air
Do not go to bed earlier, it is better to go later and have a good sleep even if shorter
Use a fan, but do not point it directly at the bed
Fans, mist machines and ice-makers are selling out across the country but France’s largest ice factory, Glaçons d'Oc in Aude, Langedoc-Roussillion, is working full out to supply demand – with production hitting 70tonnes a day. In a normal year it will sell 31million 2kg bags of ice.
Twitter users have different ways of showing the weather across Europe...
La moitié des départements en alerte canicule http://t.co/7BjQiO6xGC pic.twitter.com/RoeaB4mSGR— Libération (@libe) July 2, 2015
#Canicule Tennis : Wawrinka tombe son fameux short à carreaux ;) http://t.co/9ore8qFXwA pic.twitter.com/D9d0CPhcN9— Colette DESBORDES (@cd_land) July 2, 2015
Canicule, hein ? pic.twitter.com/douPdqrAFS— EnjoyBisbal (@Sirren_) July 2, 2015
Canicule : les vagues de chaleur se multiplient et s'accentuent http://t.co/GePodvxVCz pic.twitter.com/pRAK6xXCXZ— Sud Ouest (@sudouest) July 2, 2015
Pas de #canicule ici !
25 degrés à l'ombre : on est bien !!! pic.twitter.com/2H2tZKadH8— Alpe d'Huez (@alpedhuezfrance) July 2, 2015
