Overview
- Temperatures neared 30°C in the southwest, including 29.6°C at Saint-Gladie-Arrive-Munein in Béarn, with multiple monthly records reported in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
- Météo-France reported values around 20°C across much of the country, with Paris near 20°C and the 25°C threshold reached in several stations such as Biarritz and Orthez.
- The pattern stems from high pressure drawing subtropical air from the Maghreb, locally boosted by a foehn effect over the Pyrénées and accompanied by light Saharan dust aloft.
- Guidance points to a west-to-east frontal return of showers from Thursday night into Friday, bringing cooler, more unstable conditions into the weekend though still mild for the season.
- The dry, warm break aids river recessions after a very wet winter as flood vigilance continues in some areas, while rapid thaw weakens mountain snowpack and experts warn of early flowering that heightens frost risk; national averages this February are running about 3–3.5°C above normal.