Overview

• A cut-off low pressure system off Portugal is acting as a heat pump, drawing hot Saharan air into France
• Temperatures will climb from Tuesday onward, with most regions exceeding 30°C and the South-West facing the most severe heat
• Wednesday is forecast to be the warmest day, with local highs reaching 38°C in Bordeaux, Agen and Angoulême
• Météo France may formally classify the episode as a heatwave if national daily averages exceed 25.3°C for one day and stay above 23.4°C for three consecutive days
• A series of thunderstorms is predicted to break the heat from Thursday, potentially plunging highs back below 30°C by the weekend