France records historic September heat of 40.3°C

France has recorded a historic temperature peak in early September, with temperatures reaching 40.3 degrees Celsius in Lavaur, Tarn. This marks an absolute national record for the month of September in the history of the French meteorological service.

Extreme heat has impacted much of the country, with 24 cities breaking their own records. In the Languedoc region, temperatures have reached between 36 and 39 degrees Celsius. Several departments, including Ardèche, Drôme, and Vaucluse, remain under orange weather alerts. The heatwave follows a period where 72 out of 96 continental departments were under red alerts, and heatwaves lasted a total of 53 days through August.

Simultaneously, the Mediterranean Sea has experienced record-breaking warmth. Following a record-breaking July, the sea continued to set daily temperature records throughout August. Scientists note that such high sea temperatures can prevent nighttime cooling on coasts, increase humidity, and pose significant stress to marine ecosystems, potentially altering species distribution and coastal ecosystem functions.