Half Of France Hits New Monthly Records In Heatwave

Paris, France: Towns and villages in more than half of France have smashed temperature records for the month of May over the past week during an unusually early heatwave, a climatologist said Friday.

"More than half of France has experienced at least one monthly heat record -- whether in minimum and/or maximum temperatures -- during this episode, which is colossal," said Matthieu Sorel, a climatologist at French weather service Meteo France.

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Temperatures were expected to cool over the weekend.

From Saturday to Wednesday, there were around 109 monthly minimum temperature records and 266 monthly maximum temperature records, he added.

France beat a national record for a month of May earlier this week, peaking with a national thermal average indicator of 24.9C on Tuesday.

On Thursday, the temperature in the southwestern city of Angouleme hit a maximum of 37.8C, the highest it had ever been in any part of France in May.

Studies and scientific bodies agree that heatwaves in Europe are becoming more frequent.

Meteo France says that of the 51 heatwaves recorded nationwide since 1947, 34 have come since 2000 and 26 since 2011.

Global average temperatures are likely to continue at or near record levels this year and for the next four years afterwards, the United Nations warned on Thursday.

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