Weather forecast: an incredible sweetness to end the year!

In recent days, France has experienced an episode of exceptional mildness. Temperatures sometimes 10 ° C above normal. And even up to 13 ° C above normal for minimum temperatures. What some therefore no longer hesitate to qualify as ” heat wave winter “. A phenomenon that is part of the global warming anthropogenic, according to climatologist Jean Jouzel. A warming that brings us winters a little sweeter each year.

In Perpignan, a monthly record of daily minimum temperature was recorded between December 28, 2021, 6 p.m.UTC – 5 p.m. KST – and this December 29, still 6 p.m. UTC. The temperature did not drop below 16.9 ° C! The previous record was set at 16.0 ° C in December 1985. The last record for the meteorological winter dating from 1982 and rising to 16.6 ° C.

Numerous monthly maximum temperature records were also broken on December 29, 2021. With, for example, 21.4 ° C near Pézenas, in Hérault, – the old record was set at 20.2 ° C, it dated 1999, the day of the storm Lothar who had placed the Gulf of Lion in one air very mild – or 19.9 ° C near Béziers.

More generally, the thermal indicator – calculated on 30 reference stations since 1947 – reached an astonishing 12.5 ° C. In December 1989, it had certainly been measured at 14.7 ° C. But it wasn’t that late in the year.

Causes and consequences

In question, a soft air coming from the southwest of the Atlantic and a anticyclone subtropical back up towards Europe which maintains this soft air above our country. Locally, the phenomenon can be amplified by the fact that meteorologists call a fœhn effect. It occurs when a dry, hot wind collides with landforms. On the side of the Alps, for example. Bringing even higher temperatures to Italy where 22.3 ° C were recorded in Pietrastetta, 520 meters above sea level.

Among the possible consequences, the closure of certain ski resorts, especially on the Vosges side. And with themelt of ice in particular, the risks offloods and D’avalanches. Not to mention the complications for the vegetation tempted to start again and which could then be damaged by new frosts.

Records all over the world

Several other regions of the world are affected by the mildness. A hot wind has also crossed Greenland in recent days. In Nuuk, on December 20, it was 13 ° C for example. While the average temperature in the region is usually … -5.3 ° C! No record here, but an exceptionally widespread phenomenon over the country and covering a particularly long period.

Always on the side of theArctic, Alaska has also experienced spring temperatures recently. On Kodiak Island, a record 19.4 ° C has been set.

And in the southern hemisphere, which has just entered the summer, it is in Australia that absolute heat records have fallen. In Jurien Bay, on the west coast, it was 46 ° C on Christmas Day. The previous record was 45.2 ° C, recorded on January 31, 1991.

But it is not hot all over the planet. While western Europe is experiencing a particularly mild period, the northeast of the continent is rather affected by a wave cold with temperatures down to -15 ° C in Germany and even -20 ° C on the Polish side.

In southwestern Canada, the temperature has dropped lower than in the past fifty years. At Vancouver Airport,thermometers showed -15.3 ° C on December 27th against -16.1 ° C in December 1968 and January 1969.