It is an international day of strike for climate and social justice. In Strasbourg, several actions are organized on Friday March 25, including a rally at 1 p.m. Place Kléber. Around the world, climate change is already a reality and Alsace is no exception to the rule.
Heat records
On a global scale, temperatures have risen on average by more than one degree compared to the pre-industrial era (around 1750). Same trend in Alsace: in twenty years, fourteen years ranked among the hottest of all time in our region. The six warmest temperatures measured have been in the past ten years.
This has several consequences, especially on the Vosges mountains. “The trend would be to have fewer snow days in the Vosges and the level where we have snow cover will be at a higher altitude, where we have a greater snowpack”explains Cédric Herzog, regional forecaster at Météo France in the northeast and climatologist.
A real vicious circle. “The Vosges massif should warm up even more than the plain of Alsace. As there is less snow, the soils become darker and will store more heat.”
The risk of forest fires now also exists here
This climate change also increases the risk extreme episodes more important, with more frequent droughts or heat waves, or even more violent storms in summer.
The consequences are already being felt in the agricultural community. The trees in our Rhine forests will also suffer. “We’ve had quite a few dry summers and periods of heat wave. This hurts the trees, which are finding it increasingly difficult to recover water resources. As they suffer, they find it difficult to fight against diseases “analyzes Cédric Herzog.
Climatologists are also closely monitoring the risk of forest fires in Alsace. “When I started working at Météo France in the 90s, it mainly concerned my colleagues in the south. Today, the risk of forest fire exists here too”, he worries.