Europe, Mediterranean Hit by Worst August Drought on Record

Europe and the Mediterranean basin experienced record drought conditions in August, with more than half of the landmass severely affected, according to an analysis of European Union climate data by Agence France-Presse.

Figures from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service revealed that drought impacted 53 percent of the region last month, the highest level since records began in 2012. The percentage far exceeds the August average of 30.1 percent recorded between 2012 and 2024.

Eastern Europe and the Balkans were among the hardest hit, with thousands of residents evacuated and at least two fatalities reported due to wildfires fueled by soaring temperatures.

Western Europe also endured extreme conditions. In Portugal, rainfall fell sharply across 70 percent of the country, while France suffered water shortages in two-thirds of its regions during its second major heatwave of the summer.

The eastern Mediterranean experienced acute distress, with over 90 percent of Armenia, Georgia, and Lebanon suffering drought conditions. Turkey was also severely impacted, registering water shortages in 84 percent of its territory alongside multiple wildfire outbreaks.

Copernicus data, drawn from billions of measurements via satellites, ships, aircraft, and meteorological services, point to a continued escalation in global temperatures, driven by greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.