Showers or even buckets of water. In recent weeks, in Paris and Ile-de-France, you have more often put on your hood than your shorts or your skirt. Anyway, the temperatures did not encourage you to uncover yourself. In short, this month of July is rotten. But is it really? Have we not taken bad habits with the last heatwaves experienced? Guillaume Séchet, meteorologist and creator of the site
meteo-paris.com, enlightens us on this summer weather. But for the heat, we will still have to wait.
A gray and cool summer like these last weeks, is it so rare in Paris?
In terms of temperatures, it’s a fairly classic summer in Ile-de-France, even if we are no longer really used to it with the hot and dry summers of recent years. This summer therefore seems colder to us. In the end, it is barely 3 degrees below normal in Paris next week. On the other hand, it rains a lot more, it is regular rains, combined with freshness.
Historically, summers are not hot in the region?
Thirty years ago, every other summer was cool. Conversely, in 2019, we had an exceptionally hot summer, with temperatures of up to 43 degrees. In truth, the endless heat is not characteristic of the Ile-de-France summer. Even though hot summers will eventually become the norm.
Why this alternation of heat phases and wet and cold phases?
A depression has formed over the British Isles. The oceanic wind comes to us from the Atlantic Ocean, which explains why the weather is changeable and not necessarily very beautiful, sweeping in particular the north of France. This is why we are not in a summer atmosphere. There will be lulls but it will not last. In this season, it only takes a little for it to be 25 degrees.
When is the weather going to be nice and warm?
In recent days, we have not seen lasting improvement until at least the second week of August. For the weather to improve, a high pressure system must set in over the British Isles and block this disturbed current to bring drier air from North Africa. A scenario that will not be possible before August 12 or 13.
Is there a positive point in all this grayness?
Some people fear the heat or even have a real phobia, sometimes due to the loss of a loved one. Besides, the human body is not made to withstand 40 degrees. With the current weather, many people appreciate not having to endure the heatwave. It’s more reassuring, and the nights are also cooler and allow you to recover better.