The question often comes back during a heat wave: what is the highest temperature ever recorded in Tunisia? The national record dates back to July 7, 1931, in Kebili, in the southwest of the country. That day, the mercury would have reached 55 ° C, making this Saharan locality one of the hottest places on the planet.
But this figure, as impressive as it is, is today the subject of strong controversies. Several climatologists and specialized institutions, including the world meteorological organization, believe that the measurement methods used at the time were not precise enough to validate such a record. The temperature would have been measured in the shade, but without rigorous standards of exposure or ventilation.
On the other hand, recent and reliable statements indicate more moderate records, but just as alarming in the current climate context. On August 11, 2021, the city of Kairouan thus crossed a symbolic threshold by reaching 50.3 ° C, according to official data from the National Institute of Meteorology (INM). This is the highest modern record recorded in Tunisia with instruments in accordance with international standards.
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This heat peak was part of a regional scorching wave which had also affected neighboring Algeria and other countries in the Mediterranean basin. It reflects a substantive trend: extreme temperatures become more and more frequent in Tunisia, in direct connection with the effects of climate change.
If the figure of 55 ° C remains engraved in the memories, it is therefore the 50.3 ° C bar in Kairouan which today constitutes the reliable thermal record of the country.
