Overview
- Météo‑France said Tuesday that July 2026 averaged 24.9°C, the highest monthly mean in national records dating to 1900.
- The country saw an average precipitation deficit near 70%, producing soil moisture levels comparable to mid‑August 2022 and deepening stress on crops and pastures.
- A late‑July megafire in Gironde charred about 42,000 hectares and prompted large evacuations, with firefighting and recovery operations still underway in affected areas.
- Météo‑France has kept ten departments in the south‑east on orange heat alert and puts the odds at roughly 60% that August–October will be warmer than normal, sustaining elevated fire and health risks.
- Experts note the July anomaly builds on a warmed 1991–2020 baseline and illustrates how human‑driven climate change makes heatwaves more frequent and intense, which will pressure agriculture, housing and emergency services.