As climate change drives more frequent and intense heatwaves in France, the vocabulary around them has evolved significantly. Words such as ‘une vague de chaleur’ (heatwave) and ‘un dôme de chaleur’ (heat dome) are becoming part of everyday conversations. With weather patterns changing, Météo France describes these phenomena using terms that reflect local climatic norms. This linguistic shift illustrates how deeply climate change impacts the daily lives and discussions of the French people as they adapt to hotter conditions.
As the planet heats up, heatwaves in France (and across Europe) are becoming more frequent, more intense and longer - prompting new vocabulary to describe them.
Une vague de chaleur - a heatwave. Defined by Météo France as several days in a row where the temperature exceeds seasonal norms, it varies regionally.
Forte chaleur - Météo France refers to 'strong heat', meaning very high temperatures, increasingly common as summer heat intensifies across the country.
Un dôme de chaleur - heat dome, a term now prevalent in French media meaning a warm air front trapped, causing extended high temperatures in certain areas.
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