Overview
- Météo‑France said Wednesday that the heatwave that began on 28 July reached 22 days, making it the second‑longest recorded in France since national records began in 1947.
- Analysis of Météo‑France data shows France has logged a provisional 52 days of heatwave conditions since mid‑June, the highest seasonal total on record.
- Santé publique France reported a provisional 1,243 excess deaths for the 3–22 July episode and a cumulative provisional toll of about 7,300 excess deaths since May, with nearly three‑quarters of those excess deaths among people aged 75 and over.
- All remaining orange heat alerts were downgraded to yellow this week and forecasts point to a marked cooling and increased chance of rain from Thursday, though drought and high fire risk persist in Mediterranean departments.
- A study published in The Lancet Planetary Health finds that heat impacts on people over 60 have been substantially underestimated, a conclusion that, together with the season’s mortality figures, highlights gaps in protection for older adults and pressures on water, agriculture and emergency services; a final mortality assessment is due in October.