France’s second heatwave in as many months is set to be accompanied by high humidity and a spike in air pollution levels, the weather service has warned.
Much of Europe sweltered through sizzling heat in late June, with temperatures in France in particular breaking all-time records.
At the peak of the heatwave on June 28, Meteo-France had said the record was 45.9 degrees Celsius (114.6 degrees Fahrenheit) registered in Gallargues-le-Montueux, a village in the southern department of Gard near Montpellier.
But it announced on Friday that after a new analysis of the data, a record 46.0 degrees Celsius had been recorded in Verargues in the nearby Herault department on the same day.
The announcement came as forecasters warned of a new blast of hot weather in France next week, although it is not expected to last long or challenge the records set in June.
Hell, the Heatwave is coming back. #Canicule pic.twitter.com/lP7Sc91rjc
Agnes Poirier (@AgnesCPoirier) July 20, 2019
Weather woes hit vineyards
Wine production in France this year will be down by between six and 13 percent over 2018, notably because of the ongoing heatwave, the agriculture ministry said Saturday.
France, one of the world’s top wine producers and exporters, was hit hard by poor weather conditions, including a heatwave at the end of June.
That and other factors meant that production should be between 42.8 and 46.4 million hectolitres — the lowest figures in the last five years, said the ministry, based on estimates drawn up on July 12.
Unfavourable weather conditions hit the flowering of the vine, particularly in the western wine regions of France, such as Val de Loire, Charente, Bordelais the wines of the southwest.
Hailstorms also affected some vines but they did less damage nationally.
France, along with Spain and Italy, is one of the world’s top three wine producers and exporters, according to industry figures released last week.
