Thunderstorms, Wind and still this Orange Heatwave Vigilance: the Departments on Alert this Wednesday

The extreme heatwave will continue this Wednesday 5th August 2026 over part of France. And the risk of violent thunderstorms, too, in places.

Showers and thunderstorms will be triggered again in the afternoon of Wednesday August 5, 2026 on the Pyrenees, but also the Alps and as far north as Var, Mercantour and on the Corsican relief. The very high heat will continue (again) over a south-eastern quarter of France, particularly on the Mediterranean coast and Corsica, with maximum temperatures often between 35°C and 38°C.

The heat will, however, continue to subside elsewhere, with maximums generally below 30°C, while a new episode of extreme heat is emerging from Tuesday 11th August.

In its 6am bulletin this Wednesday, Météo France maintains 10 departments on orange alert for heatwave and 13 departments on yellow alert for storms and/or heatwaves.

The departments on orange heatwave alert this Wednesday 5th August 2026:

Alpes-maritimes
Ardèche
Corse-du-Sud
Drôme
Gard
Haute-Corse
Isère
Rhône
Var
Vaucluse

Departments on yellow alert for risks of storms and/or heatwaves this Wednesday, August 5, 2026:

Ain heatwave
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence : storms, heatwave
Hautes-alpes heatwave
Alpes-maritimes thunderstorms
Ariège thunderstorms
Aude heatwave
Bouches-du-rhône heatwave
Corse-du-Sud thunderstorms
Haute-Corse thunderstorms
Hérault heatwave
Loire heatwave
Pyrénées-orientales : storms, heatwave
Bas-rhin heatwave
Haut-rhin heatwave
Savoie : storms, heatwave
Haute-savoie heatwave

The return of the wind, a worrying scenario for fires

Also note that this Wednesday, the west sector wind will become noticeable in the north of the country where it will reach 50 to 60 km/h at peaks in the north Hauts-de-france. In the South, tramontane and mistral will rise in their domains but will not exceed 50 km/h in gusts, which will nevertheless be unfavourable to the evolution of the risk of fires.

At daybreak this Wednesday, temperatures will be between 15°C and 20°C, between 21°C and 25°C on the Mediterranean border. In the afternoon, the thermometer will start to rise again in the south-east with 32°C to 38°C forecast from Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence to the middle Rhône valley. From Lyon to the German borders, the thermometer will reach 30°C to 33°C. Elsewhere, the afternoon of this Wednesday will finally be more breathable, with 26°C to 30°C, and even 21°C to 25°C on the banks of the Channel and the Atlantic.

Thursday 6th July and Friday 7th July will be the cooler days of the week, with the return of relative coolness at night and more bearable temperatures during the day, except in a south-eastern quarter of France, where they will still remain very high. Before a further rise in temperatures nationwide next week…