Orange Heatwave Alert Issued for Seven Departments in Southern France as Temperatures Soar to 40°C

Météo-France has placed seven departments in southern France (Ardèche, Aude, Drôme, Gard, Hérault, Pyrenees-Orientales, and Vaucluse) under an orange heatwave alert, effective from Friday, September 4. Temperatures are forecast to reach 35°C to 38°C, with local peaks of 39-40°C, and are expected to persist through Sunday. This marks a rare September heatwave, with monthly heat records likely to be broken in some areas.