Only three departments were on orange alert this Sunday

France’s meteorological service maintained an orange heatwave alert for three southeastern departments – Bouches-du-Rhône, Haute-Corse and Sud-Corse – on Saturday and extended the same alert level on Sunday.

Over 40°C on Friday

The Vaucluse, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes departments; and later in the day, Herault, Gard and Var; were all downgraded from alert orange to heatwave yellow on Saturday.

The day before, the temperature reached 40.3 degrees in Moulès-et-Baucels in the Hérault department, breaking the 40-degree mark. In Villevière, Gard (39.3 degrees) or Figari, and especially in Corsica (39 degrees), this figure was almost reached.

“On Saturday, the temperature Temperatures begin to drop near the Mediterranean and in Corsica », in Var or Corsica, maximum temperatures may still reach over 36 degrees.

Lorraine raises orange alert

Forecasters expect temperatures to remain roughly close to “seasonal normal” on Sunday.

To cope with the “persistently receding” heatwave, it is specifically recommended to drink water several times a day, avoid going out during the hottest part of the day, and limit sports and physical activity.

“Heat waves are an emblematic manifestation of climate change. They are becoming more intense, more frequent, earlier and longer lasting,” stressed climatologist Mathieu Sorel.

The yellow flood alert remains in place in the Seine-et-Marne department due to the risk of overflowing the Grand Morin River. However, it is completed in the Vosges and Meurthe and Moselle departments.