+45°C for France is predicted, Tiranges, France, already +42.2°C, Visp, Switzerland +35.5°C (August Record)

France is bracing for a potentially historic heatwave as forecasts for Monday indicate temperatures could reach 44–45 °C (111–113 °F) in parts of the country. Already, on Sunday, the town of Tiranges recorded 42.2 °C (108 °F), with multiple secondary weather stations also exceeding 42 °C. Such levels of heat are far beyond typical summer conditions for most of France and approach national record territory.

The significance is clear: France only surpassed the 45 °C mark for the first time in 2019, during an unprecedented June heatwave. Now, just six years later, the nation could again reach or exceed that threshold—an alarming sign of how extreme temperatures are becoming more frequent and intense. Meteorologists attribute the upcoming spike to a powerful subtropical air mass funneled northward from North Africa, amplified by a stationary high-pressure system over southern Europe.

Neighboring Switzerland has also felt the impact. In Visp, located in the canton of Valais, temperatures hit 35.5 °C (95.9 °F), tying the all-time August record for the station. The combination of intense sunshine, dry ground, and persistent warm winds has created ideal conditions for heat to build rapidly, with little relief overnight.

Authorities across the affected regions are urging caution. This type of heat can be dangerous even for healthy and fit individuals, not just vulnerable populations. Prolonged exposure increases the risk of heatstroke, dehydration, and cardiovascular stress. Cities are opening cooling centers, restricting outdoor labor, and preparing for potential wildfire outbreaks in parched landscapes.

The forecast for Monday is particularly concerning, with southern and central France in the crosshairs for 44–45 °C highs—temperatures more often associated with the Sahara Desert than Europe. While extreme summer heat has always occurred, the frequency, intensity, and geographic reach of these events are now unmistakably amplified by climate change. If predictions hold, this could be one of the most intense August heatwaves in French meteorological history, adding to the growing list of record-breaking summers across Europe.

Source: GFS, wetterzentrale.de, https://x.com/Met4CastUK/status/1954251432644796606/photo/1