Temperatures are forecast to reach potentially 44C in the south-west today, after reading 42.2C in Pissos (Landes) on Sunday. These temperatures are given for the shade and so will be much higher in direct sun.
The high in Pissos was one of 119 June heat records broken on Sunday, following dozens in the first part of the heatwave last week.
Several towns in the south-west, Loire Valley, Atlantic coast, Île-de-France and Burgundy areas will all see highs of 40C, with rural areas potentially seeing 42C today.
President Emmanuel Macron is to host a new interministerial crisis meeting over the heatwave this morning.
How hot is it going to get - and how long will heatwave last?
There will be no let up from the heat over the coming days. From Monday until Thursday (June 25) conditions will remain similar, with excessive heat across all areas but particularly in the west, south-west, centre, and north of France around Paris.
Several all-time heat records are set to be broken over the coming days, with Météo France forecasting highs of over 41C in Brittany on Tuesday (June 23), 42C in the Loire Valley, 39C in Normandy, and over 42C in the south-west between Tuesday and Thursday.
Forecaster La Chaîne Météo (owned by Le Figaro) predicts that some areas of the south-west may even see highs of 44C at the start of the week, with all-time heat records broken elsewhere.
Due to the intensity and duration of the current heatwave comparisons are being drawn to the August 2003 heatwave that killed around 15,000 people.
While deaths should be significantly lower during this heatwave – largely due to the heatwave plan mechanisms introduced after the 2003 tragedy – the current extreme weather is still being classified as an historic weather event.
Residents are encouraged to stay cool to avoid related health concerns. Vulnerable people can be registered with their mairie to be checked on.
Temperatures will start to fall in the south-west by Thursday, but will still remain well over 30C in most areas and potentially 35C. This is slightly above average for late June.
In the north temperatures will remain close to 40C on Thursday, and stay considerably above average until at least Saturday despite the presence of rainfall at the start of the weekend.
Forecasters remain unsure of the weekend’s conditions and more accurate reports will be available later in the week.
Storms are forecast for several days – across the north and Pyrénées on Monday, central areas and the Rhône Valley/southern Alps on Wednesday – but these will not break the heat and are more likely to be small localised storms due to extremely muggy conditions.
A heat dome over the country is behind the intensity of temperatures this week, as rising heat is trapped and cooler air is unable to enter the country to cool down.
This is having a particular effect on night-time temperatures, which in several areas are remaining well over 25C.
This prevents buildings and streets – as well as humans – from naturally cooling down overnight, further exacerbating hot conditions the following day.
