France is bracing for another intense heatwave, with temperatures forecast to climb above 35°C starting Friday, 3 July 2026, and continuing through the weekend. The warning comes as the country begins to recover from an earlier extreme heat event that claimed more than 1,000 lives — predominantly among elderly residents — according to French health authorities.
Météo-France Issues New Alert
The French national meteorological service, Météo-France, confirmed that anticyclonic conditions spreading from southern France will drive a sharp rise in temperatures. In a statement issued Tuesday, 30 June, meteorologist Patrice Gallo told AFP: “There will very likely be a new heatwave episode starting this weekend.” While the exact duration and intensity remain uncertain, the agency warned of “very high temperatures, possibly exceeding 35°C.”
Broader European Context
This latest forecast arrives amid an ongoing, record-breaking heatwave across much of Europe. Germany recently registered a national high of 51.5°C — with tram rails reportedly melting in Berlin. Similar all-time temperature records were set in the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Switzerland.
Although the peak of the current heatwave is easing in parts of Europe, an estimated 95 million people — particularly across eastern and southern regions — are still expected to experience temperatures above 35°C at some point today, according to calculations by the French news agency. Overall, maximum temperatures are projected to surpass 30°C for around 260 million people across Europe (excluding Turkey) — roughly two in five residents on the continent.