Meteo-France, the national weather service, has issued a yellow alert for Paris and most of central France. indicates a one- to two-day heatwave that could be dangerous for vulnerable populations and those who work outside or engage in physical activity. Parts of southern France are on an orange alert, issued for intense and dangerous heat expected to last three days.
It was hot already felt on Monday by tennis players on the clay courts of Roland Garros, while other sports prepare for strikes on Tuesday.
“Athletes who have made adaptations to the heat will be well prepared, but it’s still a challenge. It also seems to be a little wet, which makes it a lot harder to race,” said Geoff Burns, an exercise physiologist at the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. βTriathlon is a sport, especially for men on Tuesday, that can see some of the results in running. You might not see ice vests in the morning, but in outdoor athletes in the afternoon, I would definitely expect to see them, as well as ice on the neck and maybe the head.”
Paris is forecast to reach the mid-90s (mid-30s Celsius) on Tuesday, with heat indices reaching the upper 90s to low 100s (mid- to upper-30s Celsius). The hottest heat is expected in central and southern France, where heat indices could reach 100 to 105 (37 to 41 degrees Celsius) in some cities hosting Olympic soccer games on Tuesday. To combat the heat, the employees are distribution of water bottles from a supply of more than 2.5 million ordered in anticipation of potentially dangerous heat during the Games.
Overnight temperatures will remain high, hovering near or above 70 degrees (21 Celsius) in many locations, making cooling difficult. The lack of air conditioning in the Athletes’ Village has led the United States and many other countries to bring in portable air conditioning units to ensure a comfortable sleeping environment for their athletes.
Meteo-France published a summary of temperatures expected in some Olympic cities, with highs reaching the mid to upper 90s (34 to 38 Celsius) in many host cities, including Paris. In Nice, overnight lows are forecast to remain above 77 degrees (25 Celsius).
Football matches are scheduled to be held in some of the cities of central and southern France in anticipation of the most intense heat:
- In Paris, high temperatures are expected to reach the mid-90s (mid-30s), with heat indices in the 90s to low 100s (mid- to upper-30s), by the start of Tuesday’s game at 3 p.m. between the Dominican Republic. and Uzbekistan, cooling near 90 degrees (32 Celsius) by the end of the match. Cooler 80s (mid 20s to near 30C) are expected by the time Paraguay’s match against Mali kicks off at 9pm.
- In Saint-Etienne, high temperatures are forecast to reach 95 to 100 degrees (35 to 38 C) Tuesday afternoon, with heat indices in the upper 90s to low 100 degrees (36 to 39 C). Temperatures should dip into the 80s (mid-20s to near 30 degrees Celsius) during the United States’ game against Guinea at 7 p.m.
- In Marseille, where New Zealand are scheduled to play France on Tuesday, high temperatures are forecast to reach the low to mid 90s (32 to 35C) on Tuesday, with a cool-off in the low 90s 80 (mid 20’s to near 30’s) for the 7 pm game.
- In Lyon, high temperatures are expected to reach 95 to 100 degrees (35 to 38 Celsius) Tuesday afternoon, with heat indices in the low 100s (upper 30s Celsius), cooling to the low 90s and upper 80s (low 30s Celsius) during Ukraine’s match against Argentina at 5pm.
- In Bordeaux, high temperatures are expected to reach the upper 90s to the low 100s on Tuesday afternoon during Spain’s game against Egypt at 3pm, with heat indices nearing 105 degrees (40 degrees Celsius), cooling into the mid-90s (mid-30s Celsius) by the end of the race.
By Wednesday, highs in Paris should drop into the low 90s (low 30s C) and then into the 80s (mid 20s to near 30 C) Thursday through the weekend. However, after spells of rain curtailed the Opening Ceremonies on Friday, occasional showers are forecast around Paris from Tuesday to Thursday.
The possibility of a heat wave during the Paris Olympics, held during the city’s hottest weeks of the year, has drawn attention from scientists and athletes alike. The average temperature in Paris in late July and early August has risen by more than five degrees since 1924, the last time Paris hosted the Olympics, according to report published last month. At the time, the non-profit Central Climate says “hot days” with highs of 86 or higher have become nearly three times more common in Paris.
France has experienced several deadly heat waves in recent years, including heat waves that led to more than 5,000 deaths in 2023 and more than 2,800 deaths in 2022. France’s deadliest heat wave killed nearly 15,000 people in August 2003. Researchers have found that climate change is causing heat waves in Europe and other parts of the world to be hotter than they would otherwise be.
Gretchen Reynolds contributed to this report.