Environment. April 2025 was the fifth hottest April in France since 1900.

April 2025 was the fifth hottest April in France since measurements began in 1900, particularly in the northern part of the country where heat records were broken, Météo-France announced on Wednesday.

With an average of 13.5°C over the month, the temperature excess is +1.7 degrees above normal (over the reference period 1991-2020), notes the national forecaster.

Periods “set to become more frequent”

Two "abnormally hot" episodes occurred at the beginning and end of April, during which temperatures exceeded 25°C and almost reached 30°C in some places. On April 30, nighttime heat records were recorded in some Breton towns such as Quimper (Finistère) with 14.4°C, and Arzal (Morbihan).

This early heatwave, with record high temperatures recorded in Paris (29.4°C) and Lille (28.5°C), which lasted until May 3, is not unprecedented, Météo-France emphasizes. In 2005, a similar heatwave affected the entire country from April 28 to May 2.

And last year, temperatures of up to 29 degrees were recorded in some cities, such as Lyon, as early as April 6. "In the context of climate change, periods of heat are set to become more frequent and tend to occur earlier in the spring than before," Météo-France points out.

Snowfall, floods and inundations

As in March, the situation remained quite mixed in April, with the north of the country being particularly sunny, while the south was more gloomy.

North of the Seine, the sunshine duration anomaly reached +20%, or even +40% in some places. Conversely, the southwest and the PACA region recorded a sunshine deficit of 10%. The northern half of the country also experienced a rainfall deficit for the ^third consecutive month, Météo-France also noted.

On the other hand, Nouvelle-Aquitaine experienced particularly heavy rainfall on April 19 and 20, leading to flooding. Nearly 100 mm of rain fell in 48 hours in Charentes, Gironde, Dordogne, and Limousin.

Mid-April was also marked by "sometimes exceptional" snowfall in the Alps, particularly in Savoie. Bourg-Saint-Maurice (865 meters above sea level) recorded a monthly record with 38 cm of snow falling during the night of April 16-17. At higher altitudes, such as Tignes, the total reached 1 meter.