Updated June 24: heatwave warnings continue as France records hottest ever day

France recorded its hottest day since records began yesterday as a severe heatwave continues to cause disruption.

In Brittany, 68,000 homes are currently without electricity following a grid transformer breaking down. 

“The incident was accidental and linked to the intense heat currently being experienced,” said the Finistère prefecture, but homes may remain without power until at least the end of the day (June 24). 

Around 1,800 schools have been closed nationwide with a further 8,000 are altering their opening hours due to the heat. 

State rail operator SNCF is warning of further disruption to rail journeys today, and checking travel options before heading to a station is advised. Intense heat can affect both overhead power lines (causing them to sag and require trains to travel more slowly) as well as heat up rail lines themselves –expanding them – and make them too hot for trains to safely pass over

In Paris, public transport operator RATP is warning of similar issues, and several tourist attractions will be closed early due to the heat. 

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that at least 40 people in France have died in drowning-related incidents since June 18.

State forecaster Météo France has placed 58 departments on a red-level alert for heatwave conditions, with a further 31 on the second-highest orange alert. 

People in France are being urged to remain cool in the heatwave to avoid any health risks, and vulnerable people can be signed up to the heatwave register to be checked up on. 

Tips on how to keep pets cool – as well as wild animals you may find outside during the heatwave – are available here. 

As of June 24, three deaths have been attributed to the heatwave, but this is likely to rise in the coming days.

Hottest day ever – and more to come

June 23 became the hottest single day ever recorded in France since records began in 1947, with a national average temperature of 29.8C. 

This is 0.4C warmer than the previous record (shared between July 25, 2019 and August 5, 2003).

Several all-time heat records were broken, noticeably in Gironde with readings of 43.3°C in Cazaux (Gironde) and 42.1C in Bordeaux. 

Elsewhere, a high of 42.2°C in Niort (Deux-Sèvres) was a record-breaker.

There is no sign of the heatwave letting up over the coming days – predictions for today and tomorrow (June 25) estimate that national average temperatures will reach 30.7C, smashing the newly-set record. 

Nationally, temperatures have now reached 10C-11C above average for the season, however in the west and south-west figures are considerably higher. 

In Bordeaux, current temperatures are 16C above typical readings for late June, and in parts of Brittany and the Pays-de-la-Loire 18C above usual. 

Night-time temperatures in these areas are also around 11C - 13C above typical for the season, exacerbating issues relating to the intense heat. High temperatures at night do not allow homes and bodies to naturally cool down.

Even in the south-east and Mediterranean, less-affected by the heatwave than the west and north, temperatures are currently still 7C - 9C above usual for the season.

More statistics are available through public service broadcaster Franceinfo. 

Note that storms are forecast today from Brittany to the Mediterranean, cutting through central France, however their intensity and duration is unknown due to the force of the current heatwave. 

Météo France has not issued heightened warnings for the storms, but several departments are on a tier-two yellow alert.

How long will heatwave last?

The arrival of storms in the south-west and Atlantic coast on Thursday should drop temperatures by Friday, although they will remain above average for the season. 

Highs of 34C are forecast in Gironde across the end of the week, and along the western coast temperatures of 30C are expected. 

In Brittany, these may drop down to the mid-20s, although inland areas along the Loire Valley and central France will continue to see intense temperatures.

Despite these storms moving north at the start of the weekend, areas above the Seine and near the German border will continue to see temperatures climb until Saturday (June 27). Temperatures may reach close to 40C, smashing absolute heat records in the regions.

Indeed, it is not until the arrival of sustained rainfall at the start of next week (June 29 - June 30) that temperatures in the north and south-west will return to seasonal averages of mid-20s in the north and high 20s further south.

At the same time however, the Mediterranean will see temperatures remain high, reaching above 35C in several areas.