Droughts in Europe: an exceptionally dry and warm winter affects the south and west of the EU
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the Commission has published a new report on the drought situation in Europe. It shows that most of the southern and western countries of the European Union are affected by drought and that water supply, agriculture and energy production can be under threat.
Due to an exceptionally dry and warm winter, soil moisture and river flow are already showing significant anomalies, especially in France, Spain and northern Italy. In the Alps region, the snow accumulation was well below average and is even lower than in the winter of 2021-2022. This will lead to a sharp reduction in the contribution of snowmelt to river flows in the perialpine region in spring and early summer 2023. Spring rainfall will be crucial in determining the evolution of the current drought and its impacts.
Europe and the Mediterranean region could experience an extreme summer this year, similar to 2022. The report recommends close monitoring and appropriate use of water as well as the implementation of targeted sectoral adaptation strategies and an enhanced cooperation, as these climate and weather models are expected to be more frequent in the future.
The JRC produces real-time drought information through the European and Global Drought Observatories (EDO and GDO), which are part of the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS).
