Severe thunderstorm alerts have been raised in France as cooler temperatures begin after the scorching heatwave experienced across much of Western Europe.

According to Météo-France, the arrival of cooler air in northern regions will lead to thunderstorms, hail showers, and strong winds blowing at a speed exceeding 80 km/h.

This weather warning comes hot on the heels of the extremely hot weather experienced recently, which broke heat records in Britain, France, and Portugal. It caused chaos in transport services, cut electricity supply in various regions, and was blamed for several deaths.

Saturday temperatures stayed above 33°C in the Paris region even as several parts of the country still registered temperatures of 30°C or higher. The highest temperature recorded in the country during the hot period reached 37.8°C in the Charente region.

A total of seven deaths in France have been attributed to the extreme weather.

In addition to the above effects, the heatwave affected transportation and utilities with disruptions in train service in certain regions and power outages in some cities.

There was a close watch on all major events that took place during the time when France was experiencing extreme heat. This included the French Open as well as activities related to the UEFA Champions League final in Paris.

The heat warning plan was put into effect in May in France for the first time since it had been implemented in 2004.

It was stated by meteorologists that the cause of the heatwave was an accumulation of hot air in Western Europe, which caused temperatures to be far higher than normal at the season.

However, officials have warned that there is a possibility of thunderstorms that would cause heavy rain, hail, and gusts of wind in certain parts of France as temperatures start decreasing.

This incident takes place against the backdrop of a series of weather incidents in other parts of Europe that experience heat waves during summer.