The southwest of France experienced unusually high temperatures for the end of February on Tuesday, with values exceeding 25 degrees Celsius and reaching almost 30 degrees. Several monthly records were broken, and Météo France described the situation as „worthy of May weather,” according to AFP.
Absolute record in Orthez
In Orthez, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques (southwest), the mercury rose to a provisional value of 28.3 degrees Celsius. According to Météo France, it is the highest temperature ever recorded in a February at this weather station, inaugurated in 1994.
The previous record for February in Orthez was set in 2020 when 27.1 degrees Celsius were recorded.
"May-like" temperatures
"In the southwest, the mild weather brings to mind the warmth of spring, with temperatures worthy of May," Météo France reported.
The meteorological agency warned that the high values were expected to rise even further from Tuesday to Wednesday. "The temperatures, already high for this period, will increase even more from Tuesday to Wednesday, reaching remarkable levels for the end of February in some places," meteorologists specified, highlighting that the "heat threshold" of 25 degrees Celsius was exceeded at several stations.
Also in southwest France, provisional values of 27 degrees Celsius were recorded in Biarritz - 14 degrees above the usual average for this period -, 26 degrees in Pau, 25 degrees in Mont-de-Marsan, and 22 degrees in Toulouse.
And tomorrow, 20 degrees Celsius are expected in Paris, an exceptional phenomenon for this time of year.
An increasingly frequent phenomenon
According to Météo France, such episodes of warmth during winter are becoming increasingly frequent against the backdrop of climate change. The rise in temperatures, driven by greenhouse gas emissions generated by human activities, is faster in France than the global average.