The heat wave of August 2003 remains to this day the most intense and one of the longest that France has known. She had made a strong impression with nearly 15,000 deaths in two weeks.
A heat wave is defined as a level of very high heat day and night for at least three consecutive days, remind him government. The definition of a heat wave is thus based on two parameters: heat and duration.
What was the date of the heat wave in 2003?
In August 2003, the weather situation was “classic“for a summer”with high pressures on Western Europe“, underline Meteo Francebut… “its duration is unusual and it brings very hot and very dry air from the southern Mediterranean. High pressures form an obstacle to the passage of stormy disturbances.” Temperatures started to rise between August 1 and 5. From August 4, temperatures above 35°C were observed in two thirds of the meteorological stations, spread over all the French regions. “Temperatures above 40°C were recorded in 15% of the stationsincluding in Brittany which had never happened since the start of temperature measurements“, writes Meteo France.
How long did the 2003 heat wave last?
The August 2003 heat wave was exceptional in its duration (two weeks) between August 1 and August 15, recalls Meteo France. The August 2003 heat wave was accompanied by marked ozone pollution, both in duration and intensity.
What was the maximum temperature in France?
All-time maximum temperature records have been broken over the first twelve days of August 2003 on more than 70 meteorological stations (out of a set of 180 stations, representative sample of French towns), Météo France analysis. The absolute temperature record in France was recorded at stations of Saint-Christol-les-Alès and Conqueyrac in the Gard, with 44.1 ° C, beating the record held by Toulouse-Francazal (44.0°C on August 8, 1923, value equaled several times, notably at Vallon-Pont-d’Arc in the Ardèche, on July 6, 1982 and July 30, 1983). It took 16 years for this new record to be broken: on June 28, 2019, it was up to 46°C in Vérargues (Hérault).
What was the maximum temperature in Paris?
In Paris, from August 4 to 12, the maximum temperature had exceeded 36 degrees, i.e. for 9 consecutive days. From August 3 to 14, the overnight temperatures are not never dropped below 20 degrees in the capital, recalls The Parisian. 39.5 C was the maximum temperature reached in Paris on August 11, 2003. 19 years later, this is still an absolute record for the month of August in the capital.
How many deaths were recorded in 2003?
The cumulative number of deaths in excess ofabout 14,800 between August 1 and 20, i.e. a 60% increase relative to expected mortality, specifies Public Health France, according to an Inserm survey. Excess mortality:
► Particularly high, +70%, in subjects aged 75 and over,
► Also very important, +30%, in all age groups between 45 and 74 years.
► One increase in mortality by 40% in men and 60% in women.
The excess mortality affected the whole of France, even in the departments where the number of heat waves was low. It was very pronounced in the Center region: +100%, and in Ile-de-France: +130%. The Ile-de-France region alone totaled almost a third of the overall excess mortality observed in mainland France. In Paris, it is +127%. The number of deaths that took place at home and in retirement homes were multiplied by approximately two compared to their usual value and the excess deaths occurred for:
- 42% in hospitals,
- 35% at home,
- 19% in retirement homes.
In the cases of excess mortality observed in 2003, causes directly related to heat (heatstroke, dehydration, hyperthermia) represent 28.9% of deaths, cardiovascular diseases 20.6% and diseases of the respiratory system 7.7%.
The information collected from other European countries accredits the health impact of different heat waves that occurred at different times and with different intensities in Western Europe during the summer of 2003. It seems that France is the European country that was most affected by the heat wave, recognizes Santé Publique France.
What health measures were born out of the 2003 heat wave?
Faced with the scale of the health impact of the heat wave of August 2003 in France, studies or actions in the field of monitoring and alert have been put in place, specifies Public Health France. A partnership has been developed with Météo France in order to develop an operational alert system, an integral part of a national action plan put in place by the health authorities to deal with future heat waves. Since this dramatic event, a heat alert system, based on prevention, has been put in place. It’s the heat wave plan. In the years that followed, many measures were taken: each establishment that housed the elderly acquired at least one air-conditioned room. Isolated people are listed and visited. Finally, the prevention messages are widely broadcast on television.