Winter months brought below-average rainfall, leaving southern Europe and northern Africa grappling with persistent drought conditions. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service has reported a continued lack of precipitation across the Mediterranean, leading to water restrictions and declarations of a state of emergency in affected areas.
According to the latest data from the European Drought Observatory (EDO), just over 45% of southern Europe is experiencing soil drought, with 2.8% reaching the highest "alert" level during the first 10 days of February. This severe drought level is prompting urgent action to conserve water and support affected communities.
Across Europe and northern Africa, a quarter of the region is under drought conditions, with 19.3% of the soil at a "warning" level, indicating an ongoing moisture deficit. Additionally, 2.5% of the region is facing an "alert" level, where vegetation growth is abnormal due to the advanced stage of the drought.
The situation has worsened since the end of January, although there has been a slight improvement compared to the same period last year, which saw 31.3% of the territory under drought conditions. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation to mitigate the impacts on agriculture, water supply, and daily life.
