Drought: France without rain for 31 days

The summer in France was very dry, and now a very dry winter follows. According to the weather service, there hasn’t been much rain for a month — for the first time since records began.

There hasn’t been much rain in France for 31 days. The weather service Météo France said nothing like this has happened in winter since records began in 1959.

So the soil dried up, still thinned in many places by the drought of the previous summer. Her condition corresponds to what is usually expected in mid-April.

Also in the Alps and the Pyrenees, the snow cover is thinner than normal at this time of year. Spring thaws are important for water supplies – during this time aquifers and rivers can fill up again and soil can absorb moisture. According to the weather service, the time between September and March is crucial for this, so the situation may ease up a bit, especially in March.

Drought since 2021

Overall, France has been driest since the summer of 2021. Météo France said that with the exception of three months, every month since August 2021 has been extremely dry, and this winter will be among the ten driest months since 1959. It comes after an exceptionally warm and dry 2022. private.

At least rain is expected in the south of France in the coming days – but it is likely to be one of the driest Februarys since 1959. The Meteorological Service predicts that by the end of the month only half as much rain will fall as is forecast for February.