France Faces Severe Drought Amid Heatwaves and Low Rainfall; Temperatures Expected to Remain Above Normal Until October

France has been hit by several heatwaves this summer, with July becoming the hottest month ever recorded nationwide. As a result, severe drought conditions have begun to emerge. Météo-France, the national meteorological agency, has issued a medium-term forecast indicating that temperatures across the country from August to October are likely to remain above normal levels.

France's average temperature in July 2023 reached 24.9°C, breaking previous records. Rainfall was the third lowest for July since systematic measurements began in 1959, down 70% compared to the average. Sunshine hours were abnormally high, exceeding the average by 35%.

According to Le Monde, these conditions have increased the risk of wildfires and brought severe soil dryness and water scarcity issues to the forefront.

Since spring, approximately 90,000 hectares of forests and vegetation have been destroyed by fires. Thousands of kilometers of rivers have dried up, crops have withered in fields, and some nuclear power plants have temporarily halted operations due to low river flows. Some towns now rely on water trucks to supply drinking water.

In regions north of the Seine River and across the southern Occitanie region, there was almost no or no rainfall throughout July. With little rain and heatwaves accelerating evaporation from vegetation and soil, drought conditions have become extremely severe. Soil moisture levels have reached the same low point as the record drought in mid-August 2022—two weeks earlier than before.

Nearly the entire country is under water restriction measures. Christophe Noël du Payrat, the prefect of Allier in central France, announced on July 31 the strengthening of water restrictions, citing drought conditions of "unprecedented severity" and the urgent need to "prevent disruptions to drinking water supply."

Météo-France stated: "For the entire quarter, the most likely scenario is the persistence of a high-pressure blocking pattern over northern Europe." This means a higher probability of above-normal temperatures in France and other parts of Europe.

Specifically, there is a 60% chance that temperatures from August to October will be above seasonal norms, with 20% each for normal and below-normal levels.

Regarding rainfall, there is a 50% chance that precipitation in southeastern Mediterranean regions will be higher than usual from August to October, with 25% each for normal and below-normal levels. However, increased rainfall may be localized and concentrated in only a few events.

Climate scientist Philippe Drobinski noted: "Water resource issues have become critical. They must become a permanent political topic, not just a summer crisis. This era is defined by water—soil drought, drinking water, irrigation, cooling for certain industries and energy activities, ecosystem survival, and even firefighting tools."

(Edited by Chang Chih-hsuan)