Europe 1 with AFP 3:13 p.m., June 12, 2022

Météo-France indicates that a "heat wave" should hit the southern half of the country from the middle of the week.

The mercury could even reach 40°C locally and will greatly exceed 30°C in the Paris region.

At present, however, it is impossible to speak of a "heat wave". 

A big heat wave is promised in France for next week.

A particularly early "heat wave", which occurs in a context of great dryness of the soil, is expected in the southern half of the country from the middle of the week, AFP learned on Sunday from Météo-France.

Temperatures will fluctuate between 35 and 38°C and could even come close to the 40°C mark locally. 

A heat wave sets in from Wednesday until the weekend.

It will begin by concerning the south of the country.

Its extension further north is still uncertain.

The peak of intensity of this episode is expected between Thursday and Saturday



️ Maximum T°C scheduled for Wednesday⬇️ pic.twitter.com/kFaXxLEGDY

— Meteo-France (@meteofrance) June 12, 2022

This heat wave, linked to a localized depression between the Azores and Madeira which promotes warm air rising over Western Europe, should arrive on Tuesday evening in the far south of the country, before spreading to the whole of the country on Wednesday. the southern half, Frédéric Nathan, forecaster at Météo-France, told AFP.

Up to 35°C expected in Paris

This episode of high heat over several days, from mid-June, is "extremely early", he added.

Minimum temperatures should not drop below 20°C at night.

The forecasts do not currently allow us to speak of a "heat wave" which meets specific criteria (period of intense and lasting heat, day and night, over an extended period of more than three days in general).

However, it is possible that the heat wave threshold will be reached or even exceeded in certain departments, according to Météo-France.

The extension of this heat wave to the northern half of the country is still uncertain, but there should also be a "hot flash", according to Frédéric Nathan, referring in particular to the possibility that the mercury will reach 35°C in Paris by example Friday or Saturday.

The multiplication and intensification of heat waves and heat waves are the most obvious manifestations of global warming caused by human activities.

Water restrictions put in place in several departments 

This week's heat wave comes after a particularly hot and dry spring which caused drought in much of France, raising fears for crops.

Despite the rains recorded last week in part of the territory, "we remain in a very worrying situation with extremely dry soils and this will not help the situation", noted the forecaster.

In this context, more and more departments are implementing water use restrictions.

As of June 12, 35 departments had issued orders to this effect, according to the official Propluvia website, compared to 22 ten days ago.