France places Hérault and Pyrénées-Orientales on orange alert as third heatwave of 2026 sends temperatures toward 39°C
Temperatures are forecast to climb to 39°C locally this weekend, prompting Météo-France to place the Hérault and Pyrénées-Orientales departments on orange alert from Saturday noon.
Third heatwave of 2026 builds
Just days after a historic June heatwave receded, a new surge of hot air is sweeping across France. The country’s meteorological service, Météo-France, has placed the southern departments of Hérault and Pyrénées-Orientales on orange alert (vigilance orange canicule) effective Saturday at midday. This marks the third official heatwave episode of the year.
This weekend, temperatures are expected to exceed 30°C across most of the country, with the exception of regions near the English Channel.
Friday afternoon readings already reached 32–35°C from Provence to Languedoc and 31–33°C in the Pyrénées-Orientales. The heat will intensify over the weekend, with Saturday highs of 34–37°C, locally 38°C, and even hotter conditions on Sunday.
Forecast peaks and night-time heat
Sunday is expected to be the peak day. In the Languedoc, maximum temperatures could hit 38°C, and areas close to the Mediterranean may see 39°C. The heat will also push well inland: Vannes and Lyon are forecast to reach 32°C, Valence and Cahors 34°C, while Perpignan and Montpellier will bear the brunt at 38°C.
- Perpignan
- 38 °C
- Montpellier
- 38 °C
- Valence
- 34 °C
- Cahors
- 34 °C
- Vannes
- 32 °C
- Lyon
- 32 °C
Night-time minimums offer little relief, especially in the south-east, where overnight lows will stall between 21°C and 24°C, and locally up to 25°C. By 8 a.m. Sunday, Perpignan could already be 29°C, roughly ten degrees warmer than cities further north like Tours or Rodez.
Orange alert and official warnings
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, speaking ahead of an inter-ministerial crisis meeting, stated that no department is expected to be placed on red alert this weekend.
We must obviously remain very cautious.
Météo-France’s permanent representative Sylvain Mondon added that the probability of reaching the intensity of June’s historic heatwave remains “relatively low.” An additional eight departments in the south and south-east will be under yellow alert on Saturday.
A season defined by records
The current episode follows a heatwave from 17 to 30 June that Météo-France classified as “historic” in its intensity, early onset, and geographic extent. June 2026 was confirmed as the hottest June ever recorded in France, with a national average temperature of 22.7°C, which is 3.8°C above the 1991–2020 normal. During that event, up to 72 departments were simultaneously placed on red alert, an unprecedented number since the vigilance system was created in 2004.
It is too early to say whether this new episode will match that intensity.
Outlook for the coming days
The anticyclonic conditions are expected to persist. Météo-France forecasts that temperatures will remain above seasonal norms into the middle of next week. On Monday, the Paris region could reach 31–35°C, while the southern two-thirds of the country will continue to see highs of 31–35°C, with the strongest heat concentrated from the South-West to the lower Rhône valley. Forecasters caution that beyond that window it is “difficult to be more precise,” but a prolonged period of dry and hot weather is likely.
