Global extreme weather and meteorological shifts

Global weather patterns have shown significant variability across multiple regions. In late July and early August, Senegal faced warnings for rain showers and thunderstorms, while eastern France was placed under an orange vigilance for violent thunderstorms, including strong gusts and hail.

By late August, meteorological conditions shifted toward extreme heat and tropical activity. Tropical Storm Dolly formed in the Caribbean, threatening the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and Haiti with flash flooding, while Mauritius prepared for heavy rain and high swells.

In Tunisia, extreme heat has escalated into a severe humanitarian and infrastructure crisis. Following a period of high temperatures, July 2026 was recorded as the country’s second-hottest July since 1950, with temperatures in Kairouan approaching 50°C. This heatwave has triggered unannounced water outages and rotating electricity blackouts managed by the state utility STEG to maintain grid stability.

A shortage of bottled water has further impacted the commercial sector, a situation compounded by banking regulations that have hindered distributors from financing stocks. The crisis has also fueled political friction; President Kaïs Saïed suggested service disruptions might be ‘organized acts of sabotage’, while the UGTT union accused the government of using conspiracy rhetoric to deflect from economic mismanagement.