Organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are closely monitoring long-term weather models, according to Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet. This comes as Europe experiences near-record temperatures in a heatwave that is expected to intensify. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has predicted temperatures above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in the Mediterranean, North America, Asia, and North Africa for several days. Estanguet emphasized the importance of temperature forecasts without providing further details.
The WMO has warned that new temperature records could be set, with the previous European high of 48.8 Celsius reached in Sicily in 2021. France itself experienced a record high of 46 Celsius in 2019 and had its hottest July on record last summer, leading to wildfires and drought. However, France has so far avoided the worst of the extreme temperatures this summer. The majority of the 2024 Olympic Games will be held in and around Paris, with some events taking place in other locations such as Marseille for sailing and southern venues for soccer.
While a contingency plan is in place to adjust schedules if necessary, there are currently no plans to change any locations for the games, according to a spokesperson for Paris 2024. The spokesperson stated that they cannot imagine a scenario where sailing would not take place in Marseille. A sailing test was conducted last week during the heatwave without any issues.
It is important to note that prolonged exposure to extreme heat can have serious health risks, including heat exhaustion and heatstroke, which can be fatal. Organizers are taking these risks into consideration as they prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
