The current heat wave, exceptional even for a month of August, tightens its noose on Tuesday: after the Southwest and its record temperatures, four departments of the center-east in their turn red vigilance, pushing the authorities to multiply preventive measures. The Rhône, Isère, the Drôme and the Ardèche join the list of heatmage red vigilance departments, when the Charente and the Charente-Maritime leave it, bringing the total to fourteen departments concerned, Météo France announcement this Tuesday morning.
In total, at midday, the country’s three-quarters will be at least orange alert (64 in orange, 14 in red). Only a coastal arc, ranging from Vendée to Seine-Maritime (18 departments), including Brittany and the Littoral from the Channel to Pas-de-Calais (in yellow vigilance, all the same), must escape the overwhelming bushy.
Monday, several meteorological stations in the southwest recorded absolute temperature records: in Bordeaux (41.6 ° C), Bergerac (42.1 ° C), Saint-Emilion (41.5 ° C) or Angoulême (42.1 ° C), the thermometer is mounted at new levels. They will remain very high Tuesday in the region, “40 ° C which can even reach the Aquitaine coast in places”indicates Météo France.
Tuesday, the north and the east will be won by the hot weather: 36 ° C at 38 ° C are expected from Val-de-Loire to Ile-de-France and Grand-Est, and 40 to 41 ° C in the Rhône valley to Lyonnais, well above the seasonal averages, according to weather services. In Ardèche, temperatures could rise to 42 ° C locally, according to the prefecture, which stresses that “The strong heat also concerns mountain areas, with 30 to 35 ° C to 1,000 – 1,200 meters above sea level ”.
Red heat wave will also be in place on Wednesday in the 14 departments concerned, anticipated Météo-France in its latest bulletin, now also in orange alert the 64 departments under this alert level.
“Temperatures mark the step in the south, while they are slightly increasing in the northeast : 40 ° C points are planned in Burgundy. Still around 35 /36 ° C in Paris ”, added the forecasting institute. In addition, punctually strong thunderstorms are expected from the southwest, going up north as well as in the Southeast, he plans.
While the episode should continue for several days, the state has anticipated its health impact, with hospitals ready to respond to the situation, said Minister of Health Catherine Vautrin on Monday.
The prefectures have also reiterated their advice to the population: “At these temperature levels, anyone, even young and healthy, can undergo a heat stroke or discomfort if they do not take real precautions”, have thus warned state services in Drôme, where temperatures must exceed 40 ° C during the day and 22 ° C at night on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the Rhône, the prefect ordered the ban on outdoor sites from midday until 10 p.m. and from any external public event or in non-air-conditioned establishments until early evening.
Municipalities also go there from their provisions. In Lyon, two large parks, head of gold and Gerland, will extend their opening until late in the evening, and a third will even remain open all night to offer a place of freshness. Two museums – air conditioned – will open their doors for free. In Bordeaux, the town hall opened a reception center in the homeless, like the initiative offered in Paris in July.
The heat peak contributes to the deterioration of air quality. The departments of Var, Bouches-du-Rhône and Vaucluse in particular are on level 2 alert for ozone pollution. It also increases the risk of forest fires. The giant fire that occurred Tuesday in the Corbières massif, “Mastered” Since Sunday, remains under surveillance.
