France Braces for Continued Heatwave and Weekend Thunderstorms, Orange Alerts Issued for 12 Departments

Météo-France has issued orange heatwave warnings for 12 departments, including Alpes-Maritimes, Ardèche, and Gard, for Saturday, August 8, 2026. Temperatures are expected to exceed 30°C across most of the country, with local highs of 38-40°C in the south. Thunderstorms are forecast to spread across parts of southern France this weekend, starting over the Pyrenees on Saturday afternoon. The heatwave is expected to continue into next week.