November may usually be known for its chill as winter creeps closer, but this year, towns across south-west France have experienced something entirely different. The region sweltered under summer-like heat, shattering expectations as temperatures hit 26.9°C (approximately 80.42°F) overnight on what is traditionally considered the cusp of winter.
Climatologist Matthieu Sorel from Météo France was among the first to highlight the extremity of these unusual temperatures. “It’s very exceptional temperatures – even for the summer, let alone late November,” he expressed, underscoring just how out of the ordinary this event has been. The 26.9°C reading recorded around 4 AM on Tuesday raised eyebrows not just due to its height, but because it broke the previously held November record of 26.2°C logged on November 27, 1970.
Climate experts across France—those tasked to observe and predict the impacts of warm fronts—seem to share Sorel’s astonishment at the nights becoming increasingly balmy this time of year. While Météo France is reticent to confirm this record since their hourly data only date back to about 1990, Sorel added, “from what we can recall, we have never seen such temperatures during the night for this time of year.”
But what exactly caused this spike? A natural phenomenon known as the Föhn effect has emerged as a significant contributor to the unseasonable warmth. This occurs when warm air blowing from north African and Mediterranean regions descends the Pyrenees mountains, compressing and heating as it moves downward, exacerbated by the impacts of climate change resulting from fossil fuel pollution. Since pre-industrial times, the planet has warmed by approximately 1.3°C, bringing out more aggressive temperature shifts.
To add perspective, this peculiar warmth is part of broader climatic shifts occurring across Europe, which is warming approximately twice as fast as the global average. This rapid increase is leading to melting glaciers and depleted water reservoirs, alongside increasingly frequent heatwaves. These extreme conditions often rob people of much-needed sleep, as nighttime temperatures rise above what’s typically comfortable.
The European Environment Agency has forecasted troubling trends, predicting the potential doubling—if not tripling—of tropical nights with temperatures over 20°C, which particularly affects vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or those with health conditions. This increase could see the region facing as many as 100 tropical nights yearly by the century's end under worst-case climate scenarios.
Beyond borders, the unusual warmth did not go unnoticed. Reports indicated Denmark also experienced balmy temperatures, though the Danish Meteorological Institute clarified no records were broken there, attributing the warm conditions to the influence of deep storm systems and elevated North Atlantic temperatures.
The phenomenon of extremely warm nights hasn’t just been limited to these two countries. Southern European nations, too, are feeling the heat—literally. It’s becoming clear these fluctuances are interconnected parts of the same climatic puzzle. With temperatures soaring and stability wavering, the month of November this year has left many to ponder what winter might still bring, and whether it’s behind us or merely waiting for the right moment to strike.
These troubling patterns lead one to wonder about the future—what will be left for our winters, let alone the other seasons, if the trend continues?
