2022, the hottest year ever measured in France

According to the different assumptions for December, the annual temperature for the whole of 2022 will be between 14.2 degrees Celsius (cold December) and 14.6 degrees (warm December). Far ahead of the previous record of 2020 with 14.07 degrees.

The year was marked by several heat episodes: three waves this summer (June 15 to 19, July 12 to 25 and July 31 to August 13), i.e. a record 33 days, and two out of season (in May and late october).

"All the months of the year were warmer than normal, with the exception of January and April," said Météo-France in a note.

These extraordinary heat events were accompanied by numerous extreme events, such as a "historic drought", forest fires, particularly in Gironde and in regions usually little or not prone to this type of phenomenon such as Brittany, ocean heat waves in the Mediterranean and violent storms like the one in Corsica on August 18 which had caused 5 deaths.

Annual rainfall is expected to show an average deficit of 15 to 25% compared to normal, with two record months in May (60% deficit) and July (-85%), which are the driest since the start of measurements. in 1959. The driest year in France remains 1989, with a deficit of 25%.

According to Météo-France, high temperatures have become more frequent in recent years: 8 of the 10 hottest years since the beginning of the 20th century are after 2010.

This warming is favored by human-induced climate change. Thus the summer heat waves of 2022 would have been "highly unlikely and much less intense without the effect of climate change", indicates the public body.

Studies estimate that this period "would have been almost impossible in a climate not warmed by humans": these heat episodes have been made "about 500 times more likely with anthropogenic climate change", i.e. caused by man, "and 1.5 to 1.9 degrees warmer".

"Very hot in the current climate, the year 2022 will become normal in the middle of the 21st century", concludes Météo France.