Nine European countries recorded their driest August on record, according to an analysis of European Drought Observatory data. The countries were Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Hungary, Luxembourg, Serbia, Slovakia and Switzerland. The records cover data collected by the observatory since 2012.
The drought was driven by a combination of prolonged rainfall shortages and repeated heatwaves. Copernicus data show that large parts of western, central and eastern Europe experienced below-average rainfall and exceptionally low soil moisture during August.
Europe’s major rivers were also severely affected. The Rhine, Danube, Loire and Po recorded exceptionally low water levels, creating challenges for navigation, agriculture, energy production and freshwater ecosystems.
The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre said drought conditions had worsened through July and August, while the European Drought Observatory continued to classify significant areas of central and western Europe under drought alert or warning conditions.
News as Reported.
