Météo-France reported that 80 French departments are under an orange heatwave alert for Thursday, August 13, with maximum temperatures exceeding 35°C across most of the country, except along a thin coastal strip and at high altitudes.
Météo-France predicted that temperatures between the Centre-Val de Loire and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions would reach between 38 and 40°C, or slightly higher at peaks, while Île-de-France is expected to see temperatures around 38°C.
Localized highs include 42°C in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire; 41°C in Bordeaux, Marmande, Agen, and Montélimar; 40°C in Périgueux, Mont-de-Marsan, Toulouse, Auch, Castres, Carcassonne, Lyon, Bourgoin-Jallieu, and Le Blanc in Indre.
Météo-France noted that nighttime temperatures in inland departments under orange alert would range between 20 and 25°C, rising to 25 or 28°C in the southeast.
The current heatwave, which began on July 28, has lasted 17 days as of Thursday, making it the third longest ever recorded in France, following the 23-day event of July 1983 and the 21-day event of July 2006.
Météo-France confirmed the heatwave has surpassed the 2003 event in duration and has experienced two intensity peaks so far: one on July 29 and another on Wednesday.
A new heat peak is forecast for the western half of France on Thursday and the eastern half on Friday, with many regions expected to reach around 40°C.
Temperatures will begin to decrease along the English Channel coasts on Friday, continue on Saturday, and gradually spread across all of France by Sunday.
This is the 54th heatwave experienced by France since 1947, with half of them occurring after 2010. The summer of 2026 has seen an exceptional repetition of heatwaves, with three occurring in less than two months.
Length of the current heatwave as of August 13
The record for highest intensity remains the late June 2026 heatwave, according to Météo-France.
Since the 19th century, the average temperature of the Earth has warmed by 1.3°C, according to observations cited by Météo-France.
