A forecaster’s 2014 warning about extreme heat due to climate change comes true 28 years ahead of schedule.
A dire prediction made by French weather presenter Évelyne Dhéliat in 2014 has become a reality, as France faces unprecedented heat in June 2022. Dhéliat had forecast that temperatures could reach 43°C by 2050 due to climate change, but the country is now set to experience these record-breaking temperatures this weekend—28 years earlier than expected.
The heatwave, which has already seen the earliest recorded 40°C day in French history, will peak on Saturday, with cities such as Nantes and Tours reaching highs of 43°C. Paris is also bracing for its hottest June day on record, with temperatures forecast to reach between 38°C and 39°C, surpassing the previous June record set in 1947.
This marks the second heatwave of the year in France, with temperatures typically associated with July and August now occurring in early summer. Météo France attributes the heat to a low-pressure system between the Azores and Madeira, funneling warm air into Western Europe.
The last major heatwave in France occurred in 2019, when Paris hit a scorching 42.6°C in July. That year, the extreme temperatures claimed the lives of 1,435 people, underscoring the devastating impact of such weather events on public health.