Paris is shivering as the month draws to a close. According to Météo-Paris, we're likely to break a decades-old record. Exceptionally low temperatures are being observed, so much so that there is already talk of one of the coolest episodes ever seen at this time of year.
Maximum temperatures struggled to exceed 15°C on some days, while the average for late September in Paris was around 19-20°C. The result: a -5°C difference in expected temperatures - no mean feat! If this trend continues, the end of September could go down in the meteorological annals as one of the coolest since temperatures have been measured at Montsouris.
The explanation is quite simple: a small blast of polar air has arrived from northern Europe. Combined with often clear skies at night and a very calm wind, this creates the ideal conditions for the mercury to drop in the early morning... and not rise too much in the afternoon.
In short: no clouds + no wind = no heat.
Yes, and not just a little. This isn't just a passing chill: several consecutive days of below-normal temperatures is what it takes to shatter old records, and that's exactly what we're having this week.
Météo-Paris even announced that the record for the lowest maximum temperature for late September could be broken. For the record, these records cover the period from September 20 to 30, and have not been broken for decades.
Short-term? Put another layer on. A scarf is no longer a fashion accessory, it's a necessity. And chilly mornings are likely to be with us for several days yet.
Longer term? It's a reminder that autumn doesn't wait until October 1 to set in, and that even in a context of global warming, local cold snaps are still very much with us.
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