Finally back to something closer to normal this morning in Cholet. House is cooling down to 23-25C but still feels warmish.
Last week was like Florida except with higher high temps and less humidity. There it lasts for 3 solid months. Max temps don’t go above 38C, but it is constant.
Not far up the road they had hail stones last evening. We had strong winds and some rain, currently about 22c
Yep, respite here too. Windows wide open, enjoying the cool fresh air tumbling in.
And suddenly it’s about 22 degrees outside, and feeling cool by comparison to last week.
A fantastic flashing lightning display in the SW for at least 4 hours last night with no thunder but when I emerged this morning much evidence of rain. The marsh is now a pond again. 
Jules was a bit distressed even though he couldn’t see it but must have sensed it. He came onto my bed for comfort but that was too hot so we both decamped to the salle where he stretched out on the settee while I spent half an hour on Fran’s recliner.
It’s about 25 c in the house this morning but I will soon be off to the market for the fruit and veg.
From about 2am onwards… fabulous lightning display, spreading to all points of the compass. With amazing cloud formations it was just like at a special “light show” one might pay good money to see and enjoy 
The only downside was the thunder… ok when it was just rumbling round the edges.. I found myself counting the seconds between flash and bang.. to judge the distance.. 
But, when it suddenly crashed/banged overhead, I found myself diving under the pillows to try and deaden the row and somehow convince myself that our house wasn’t really under attack… 
So, no sleep for the wicked, with the thunder rolling in the distance, I’m out of hiding and checking all the open windows, trying to catch a breeze from somewhere to cool the house … while also checking on the rain (direction and force) to avoid a flood. Huh.. one minute no breeze and the next a howling gale which threatens to slam internal doors (which are beautifully glazed)… aaargh.
Sometime around 4.30am I gave up trying to keep everything under control and I tried to sleep only to find myself panicking about the electrics going off… aaargh.
No matter, 8am and the sun is shining (again) and the rain is rising from the fields in plumes of steam
We live to fight another day.
The first day for maybe a week that the living room is under 25. The long range forecast is not very appealing mind!
Feeling swindled. 2 bouts of rain promised today from 2pm. Watered all plants early so as to free up and place all my rain-collecting vessels. Cleared stuff that couldn’t get wet off the lawn.
And now, sitting here with nada rain. It was meant to drop to 27 when it started raining. Instead it’s stayed at 34 and has risen to 37.
Last night I watched the lightning a bit further south as they got their rain at 3am. So I thought I could rely on the forecast rain today.
Nope. I feel conned.
Me too. Yesterday it seemed like all the rain started right from us in Cholet and went northeast. We got nada.
Going to kick off here shortly:
“Alert issued on June 28, 2026, at 4:25 PM
The Prefect of Lot-et-Garonne informs you that the department is being placed under an “orange” weather alert for thunderstorms this Sunday, starting at 6:00 PM. Event start: Sunday, June 28 at 6:00 PM. Event end: Sunday, June 28 at 11:00 PM. Forecast: The air mass clash driving the end of the recent heatwave is triggering thunderstorms, some of which may be severe. This Sunday, stormy conditions will begin in southern Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the mid-afternoon and move northeastward. As the storms pass through the department, expect intense lightning activity, heavy rainfall over a short period (up to 50 mm in one to two hours), wind gusts of 70–90 km/h (locally exceeding 100 km/h), and a risk of medium-sized hail—or even large hail in very localized areas. Storm activity will begin at 4:00 PM and continue until midnight. The most intense period is expected between 6:00 PM and 11:00 PM, during which time the department will be under the orange thunderstorm alert.“
Still waiting for it to even look like it might rain. Still 33 degrees and sunny.
Meteo France protects itself with overly alarmist forecasts… However, the exact location of thunderstorms is very difficult to determine 
Similar story here last night. Panneau Pocket was alive with storm warnings from all the communes around here but all we got was a bit of sheet lightning and a quick shower. East of Toulouse near Revel and south of Castelnaudary got a real hammering. Tight storm cells about 20km wide getting 2 to 3 hits a second in bursts of a few minutes. Coutesy of lightningmaps.org.
I always check on Lightning.org which is very accurate I have found. I keep getting warnings com up on the Ring Bell screen indoors for heat or orages, but they have never materialised this past weekend or indeed, past week. Saw the hail damage on the news last night in Mayenne and the corn crops destroyed, heartbreaking to see the young farmer in tears. If you live in an area predominantly cursed by hail, a tip from when the family lived in Texas and that is to keep some single or even double mattresses handy if you have an outbuilding or garage so they can go over vehicles to prevent broken windows and damaged paintwork. You can find cheap ones often on LBC or buy in shops but cheaper than having to get insurance work done
A wonderful 18°C in my garden at 7.30am this morning - feel normal again, without that awful oppression of heat that shuts me down. Ideal temperature for me would be no more than 25°C with 50% humidity.
However, been eyeing my thermometer/humidity device, and humidity seems to be the culprit, heat not so much! A few days ago, humidity dropped to 40% and I felt wonderful, despite the heat! It’s the humidity stupid!
Humidity seems to be getting worse across the planet.
Four days ago…
Every little helps.
Yet when you see desert dwellers like Tuareg and other nomads, they always wear either black or blue clothing to protect them. I know of lot of commercial buildings here have been painting their metal roofs with white paint recently from seeing the news
“Yet when you see desert dwellers like Tuareg and other nomads, they always wear either black or blue clothing to protect them.”
black absorbs and it doesn’t transmit… loose clothing lets the heat waft away
Although I am intent on a wooden bird hide in the forest I did look at some metal sheds at the Brico the other day. It was flaming hot of course but when I walked into them they were really cool inside. I touched the inside of the roof panels and that was as hot as you’d expect. How do they do that? 
The outsides and maybe the rooves were painted dark green.
