France's Heat This Week Was Worse Than a Dire Scenario Imagined For 2050
9 163There's a deadly, record-breaking heat wave spreading east across Europe, reports the Washington Post — and it's even worse than a dire earlier forecast: The forecast was recorded in 2014 as part of a campaign coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) that invited about 60 presenters worldwide to imagine a weather report from the year 2050. In one clip, Ãvelyne Dhéliat from French television network TF1 presented a hypothetical scenario of high temperatures 36 years into the future — during a heat wave in a warmer climate in 2050... One of the maps that Dhéliat shared was lit up in shades of orange, filled with temperature predictions of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), reaching as high as 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
But it turns out, it didn't take 36 years for those imagined temperatures to be reached — and even exceeded. The heat on Wednesday alone, when the temperature soared as high as 112.3 degrees Fahrenheit (44.3 degrees Celsius), exceeded the 2050 projections in 19 out of 34 locations across mainland France — far sooner than some may have expected. Some places surpassed those hypothetical future temperatures by more than 20 degrees Fahrenheit. It's part of a dramatic shift in heat wave frequency across the country. Half of the heat waves observed since 1947 have occurred since 2010. "By 2100, heat waves could last up to two months continuously," the country's weather agency, Météo-France, said this week.
It was hotter in France on Wednesday than in Las Vegas and Phoenix and just two degrees Fahrenheit shy of what was observed in Death Valley, California. An estimated less than one percent of the planet was hotter than France's hottest place... [T]he heat dome, which will linger into early next week, is only part of the story. This type of extreme heat is becoming more common as the planet warms, especially in Europe.
Climate scientist Robert Rohde said in a post explaining the heat wave's causes that France and Western Europe should expect many more heat waves like this over the coming decades. "This isn't a fluke, but simply part of the new normal," he said.
Thanks to Slashdot reader fjo3 for sharing the news.
9 comments
Re:Mon Dieu (Score: 5, Informative)
by thegarbz ( 1787294 ) on Sunday June 28, 2026 @02:58AM (#66213750)
What is the reason for this?
There are many reasons for this. This may have just been in Paris, but banning alcohol consumption during heatwaves at specific events isn't that uncommon. Here's some of the reasons:
- Alcohol is massively dehydrating, it's a diuretic making you pee far more than normal. Yes it's still a net positive if you drink beer. It's not a net positive if you drink a spirit. But it is far from as hydrating as drinking water or even softdrink.
- Alcohol drops blood pressure. Heat drops blood pressure. Combining the two puts you at a much higher risk of heatstroke than you would be otherwise. If you have a heart condition you're also at a much higher risk of heart attacks. (Recorded cardiac events typically double in a mild heatwave).
- Many alcohols do not have electrolytes, beer does, but consuming just wine for example can put you in an electrolyte deficient state when you sweat a lot which can make heatstroke's worse (actually it'll move some heatstroke symptoms to just normal heat exhaustion stage, such as dizziness and loss of attentiveness and that's before you consider the last point).
- Alcohol impairs judgement. You're less likely to make good decisions, less likely to notice effects of heat stress, less likely to drink when needed, seek shade when needed, etc.
Actually one of the things which are really good for you in a heatwave is an alcohol free beer. It's hydrating, and heavy in electrolytes (important in heatwave) and many are isotonic. Alcohol free weizen beer is usually served at marathons at the finish line as a recovery drink in Germany.
Re: Mon Dieu (Score: 5, Informative)
by Phillip2 ( 203612 ) on Saturday June 27, 2026 @06:33PM (#66213364)
"they say". Of course alcohol dehydrated you. It is as much of a fact as you can get. Clearly evidenced, mechanism understood, and a shared personal experience of billions.
Re:Mon Dieu (Score: 5, Informative)
by angel'o'sphere ( 80593 ) on <angelo,schneider&oomentor,de> on Saturday June 27, 2026 @08:55PM (#66213532)
In restaurants or at home, you obviously still can drink wine:
The alcohol ban is intended to stop people buying beer, wine and spirits from shops and drinking them in the street and beside the cityâ(TM)s canals and the Seine.
Re:Mon Dieu (Score: 5, Informative)
by manu0601 ( 2221348 ) on Saturday June 27, 2026 @06:59PM (#66213418)
Muslims don't consume alcohol.
Good joke, but that begs for the actual numbers: in 2020, 53% of french people claim to have no religion [wikipedia.org]. 34% are Christians, 11% are Muslims
Re:The video undercuts itsself (Score: 5, Informative)
by angel'o'sphere ( 80593 ) on <angelo,schneider&oomentor,de> on Saturday June 27, 2026 @09:08PM (#66213550)
proof that this heat is nothing special, because it was similar in 2003.
Not sure what the reading comprehension problem of some people is about: up to 42 degrees in Gourdon and Carpentras, even 44 degrees in Gard, and this was an all-time record."
This are three cities with exceptional heat in 2003.
Now it is all of France and all of Germany it is not isolated heat islands in a random unlucky city: it is everywhere. I hope I am back in Thailand before August, if the same weather phenomena that is causing the current heat is happening again: it can only be worse.
Re:and lots of people didnt believe it in 2014 (Score: 5, Funny)
by Jeremi ( 14640 ) on Saturday June 27, 2026 @07:22PM (#66213438)
Europe simply hasn't sacrificed enough virgins to the Climate Gods. It must round up a lot more and throw them into the nearest volcano.
... so they've come to Slashdot to recruit volunteers; very resourceful of them. :)
My car registered 125F briefly in Las Vegas (Score: 5, Interesting)
by madbrain ( 11432 ) on Saturday June 27, 2026 @06:09PM (#66213326)
Last week-end. It was a temporary sensor error, though. It was closer to 105F. I see 115F at home in the hills in San Jose a few days each year, and that is legit. But both the car and home have very efficient heat pump A/C, so that is not really an issue. The new Carrier heat pump A/C at home, combined with zoning, really sips energy. Just 158 kWh used on cooling since Feb 20. And 194 kWh used on heating, according to the smart stats. The 3 zones that are turned on (though not 24 hours) represent about 2000 sq ft. This includes a large dining room with south facing bay floor to ceiling windows. It's incredibly quiet too. Completely inaudible indoors. Even outdoors, due to it being variable speed, you can easily sit right next to it without being bothered.
In France, where I grew up, almost no one has A/C at home. And it is impossible to retrofit in most residences. Apartments don't use forced air for heating. They typically use radiators. My mother has floor heating at her apartment i Paris. The only options are window A/Cs. Those are very inefficient and very loud. They are not allowed on balconies in apartment buildings. A few have installed them illegally. But if there were hundreds of window A/Cs per apartment building, they would crack down due to noise. Not sure if the old buildings electric infrastructure could handle it, also.
In single family homes or townhomes, installing A/C is possible, but very expensive. That's not where most French people live, though. I feel for family members.
Re:This is what you get (Score: 5, Informative)
by SoftwareArtist ( 1472499 ) on Saturday June 27, 2026 @07:06PM (#66213426)
That's kind of the point about climate change: the climate is changing. Infrastructure built for the old climate isn't sufficient anymore. 30 years ago no one had AC in Paris because you didn't need it. Today it's becoming hard to survive without it.
Europe is the fastest warming continent on Earth [copernicus.eu]. That's why they're hitting this sooner than some other places. You'll see the same thing in Arizona soon enough. Think of blackouts during heat waves because there isn't enough power to run the air conditioners. Or people getting heat stroke even with AC, because it couldn't bring the temperature down enough. Either you'll spend a lot of money to update your infrastructure, or really bad things will happen.
Re:This is what you get (Score: 5, Insightful)
by ArchieBunker ( 132337 ) on Saturday June 27, 2026 @07:14PM (#66213434)
Incorporated AC when Paris was built?