Several nocturnal heat records broken in Corsica. On the night of Wednesday July 19 to Thursday July 20, Météo-France recorded high temperatures in the coolest of the night on the Isle of Beauty, with 26 degrees in Figari (Corse-du-Sud), or 0.6 ° C more than the previous record, which dated from … 2022. In Fréjus (Var), a historic high was also reached, with 26.2 ° C against 25.5 ° C for the last record, recorded in 198 2. Météo-France has once again placed nine departments on heatwave orange vigilance. Follow the evolution of this new day of heat in our direct.
Fifteen departments on alert. The departments concerned by orange vigilance are Bouches-du-Rhône, Gard, Hérault, Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Vaucluse, Corse-du-Sud, Haute-Corse, as well as Var – whose prefecture decided to close five massifs on Thursday, for “high risk of fire”. This list is completed by six other departments in yellow vigilance, namely Ariège, Aude, Haute-Garonne, Hautes-Pyrénées, Hautes-Alpes and Pyrénées-Orientales. Andorra is also concerned.
Peaks at 40°C expected in the Var. The heatwave episode continues according to Météo-France, which forecasts temperatures “often” above 35°C in departments classified as orange, “with up to 40 degrees in the Var” notify the institute. This intense heat calls for “special vigilance, especially for sensitive or exposed people” warns Météo-France.
Towards a record month of July? According to the European observatory Copernicus, July 2023 is “on track to become the hottest July ever measured”. The phenomenon would be related to “a combination of factors”including climate change, linked to human activities, but also the heat wave currently affecting the North Atlantic and the natural phenomenon El Niño.
More than 200 European firefighters on their way to Greece. Romanian, Slovak and Polish firefighters will be dispatched by Friday to fight major ongoing forest fires, firefighting services said. On behalf of the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism, two Canadairs and a French reconnaissance aircraft have been active in Greece since Tuesday.