Toulouse, one of the hottest cities in France in 2022
As the year draws to a close, Météo France has unveiled its 2022 climate report. And the findings are alarming. Indeed, forecasters have stated that the current year has been the hottest ever recorded in France. Commenting on the report of Meteo Francepublished on November 30, the Minister of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion Christophe Béchu declared:
Météo France exposes the reality of global warming. It takes stock of an extraordinary year, with extreme phenomena of an unprecedented scale. They corrected major damage, in mainland France and in the Overseas Territories.”
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Hottest year on record
“Whatever the temperatures are in our month of December, the year 2022 will be the hottest that France has ever been measured since records began in 1900.” Météo France sets the tone. Until then, 2020 held this record. In addition, this summer was the second hottest in France. A symptom of climate change in France, the average temperature for the year 2022 exceeds 14.2°C on average across the country throughout the year, according to data from specialists.
The year 2022 has been marked by many episodes and waves of heat and mildness. However, cold spells were virtually absent, with the exception of an episode of frost in early April. All months of the year have been warmer than normal, with the exception of January and April,” note the meteorologists.
Toulouse went from 14.07°C to 14.2°C in two years. © Meteo France
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An exceptional drought
These results are due to a lack of rainfall and “a drought remarkable for its duration and extent”. According to data from Météo France, 2022 experienced the third longest period of soil drought in its history. “The average annual rainfall in France should show a deficit of 15 to 25% over the year 2022”, judge the experts. Records were broken for May with a 60% deficit and July with an 85% deficit.
These are the driest ever recorded across France since the start of measurements in 1959″, alert Météo France.
Météo France has warned that while 2022 is “remarkable in the current climate, it could become normal in 2050”.
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Toulouse, one of the hottest cities
If the whole of France was strongly impacted by drought this year, Toulouse was one of the most supported cities. According to data from Météo France, between 1991 and 2022, the Pink City is the one which recorded the most significant increase in global temperature with an additional 2.1°C. In comparison, temperatures in other cities such as Perpignan and Bordeaux increased by 1.8°C or 1.5 for Nice and Lyon.
At the same time, Toulouse is the city that recorded the least rainfall in 2022 in France. Indeed, Météo France records 57% less rain between 1991 and 2022. The Pink City is sadly at the top of the ranking ahead of Nice which has 47% less precipitation.
On this map, Toulouse is the city in France that has recorded the most significant rise in temperature. © Meteo France
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