Heat records in Southern France with temperatures reaching 30 C / 86 F after long period of rain and flooding
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Southwest France has recorded extraordinary February heat, with temperatures soaring past long‑standing records and climate scientists warn that the region is experiencing one of the most abrupt winter warm spells in its modern history.
Cities across Nouvelle‑Aquitaine — including Bordeaux, Biarritz, Pau, and Mont-de-Marsan — saw temperatures climb into the mid‑20s Celsius, levels more typical of late spring than mid‑winter. Meteorologists described the event as “exceptional,” noting that several stations broke their all‑time February highs by wide margins.
The Herald reports that the sudden heat surge has left many residents stunned, with outdoor cafés filling up and people heading to beaches normally deserted at this time of year. At the same time, agricultural groups expressed concern about premature budding in vineyards and orchards, warning that an eventual return to freezing temperatures could devastate early growth.
Climate specialists interviewed in the report said the event aligns with a broader pattern of increasingly frequent winter heat anomalies across Europe. They noted that France has experienced several record‑breaking warm spells in recent years, but the intensity and timing of the 2026 event stand out.
Météo‑France confirmed that the warm air mass originated from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, combining with clear skies to produce unusually high daytime temperatures. The agency said more records could fall if the pattern persists.
France Ends Record‑Breaking 40‑Day Rainfall Streak as Flooding Persists
The warm weather comes after a long streak of rainy days in France andreportedly one of its wettest months for February on record.
France has officially concluded an unprecedented 40‑day streak of continuous rainfall, a national record dating back to 1959, according to Yahoo News Canada’s report on the announcement by Météo‑France. The streak lasted from January 14 to February 22, 2026, surpassing the previous record of 32 days set in 2023.
The relentless rain — described by forecasters as “a winter’s worth of rainfall” — left large parts of southwestern France saturated, with rivers overflowing and soils unable to absorb additional water. The Charente, Garonne, and other western river systems experienced exceptional flooding, with some areas remaining under red alert even after rainfall briefly subsided.
Météo‑France linked the anomaly to a sequence of Atlantic storms — Goretti, Ingrid, Nils, and Pedro — funneled between two persistent anticyclones over Africa and northern Europe. Climate scientists noted that a warmer atmosphere is intensifying rainfall events and altering seasonal timing.
Additional reporting from France 24 and Euronews confirms that February 2026 is now the wettest February in France since national records began, and the winter of 2025–2026 will rank among the 10 wettest winters ever recorded. Soil moisture levels reached their highest point since 1959, and flood‑alert systems operated at record pace, with 81 departments under orange or red alert simultaneously.
Despite a slight easing of rainfall, authorities warn that floodwaters will recede slowly due to extreme soil saturation, and renewed rain is expected later in the week
Further Reading:
ws.com/2026/02/24/france-ends-record-40-day-streak-of-consecutive-rain-but-authorities-warn-of-possible-floo?
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/winters-worth-rain-frances-record-170815880.html?
https://www.thelocal.fr/20260225/february-heat-records-smashed-in-south-west-fr…?
https://www.tf1info.fr/meteo/meteo-france-previsions-digne-d-un-mois-de-mai-des…?
New Zealand Herald – “Winter vanishes in southwest France as February heat records are suddenly broken” 🔗 https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/winter-vanishes-in-southwest-france-as-februar…