France has experienced the third driest spring since the beginning of the 20th century and the drought of the soil corresponds to that usually noted in mid-July, worried Friday Météo-France which also expects a hot and dry summer.
A "worrying" situation
“The situation is worrying and closely monitored,” commented Jean-Michel Soubeyroux, from Météo-France, during a press briefing, while farmers already fear for their crops.
Spring (March-April-May) 2022 recorded a rainfall deficit of 45% compared to normal, ranking it the third driest spring behind 2011 and 1976, an historic drought year.
It also ranked as the third warmest spring.
A dry and hot month of May
This situation is linked in particular to an unprecedented month of May: the driest ever recorded (65% rainfall deficit on average, with total rainfall of less than 20 mm over a large part of the territory) and the hottest (temperature average of 17.8°C, one degree higher than the previous record of May 2011), according to the report presented on Friday.
As a result, "the early drought of the surface soils worsened sharply during the month", explained Jean-Michel Soubeyroux.
“Almost the whole territory is affected by a drought of the soil at least ten-year level for the season, that is to say that we meet one year out of ten”, he specified.
A situation that could get worse
On the scale of France, the soil humidity index thus reached on 1 June a value usually encountered in mid-July.
And the situation could get worse.
In a context of global warming which accentuates the frequency, intensity and duration of droughts, Météo-France is thus counting on a hot and dry summer (June-July-August).
According to the seasonal trends for summer presented on Friday, which differ from the weather forecast, a warm scenario is "very likely" over the southern half of the country and "likely" over the northern half.
A dry scenario is also "probable" over the southern half, but no scenario is favored over the northern half.
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