Over half of Europe and Mediterranean basin hit by drought in mid-May

PARIS – More than half, or 53 per cent, of land in Europe and the Mediterranean basin were hit by drought in mid-May, according to an AFP analysis of data from the European Drought Observatory (EDO) from May 11 to 20, 2025.

It was the highest level recorded for that period of time in the year since monitoring began in 2012, and more than 20 points higher than the average between 2012 and 2024.

The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, based on satellite imagery, takes into account three benchmarks: precipitation, or rainfall, soil moisture and the state of vegetation.

There are three levels of drought: watch, warning and alert.

Between May 11 and 20, 42 per cent of Europe’s soil and the Mediterranean basin were lacking in moisture, at a warning level, and 5 per cent at alert level, signalling that vegetation was developing abnormally.

Mainly concerned were northern, eastern and central European countries, with high alert levels.

Some 19 per cent of Ukrainian territory was on a state of alert, while other countries were in a worrying situation, including Belarus (17 per cent), Poland (10 per cent), Hungary and Slovakia (9 per cent).

To the south, the alert level stood at 20 per cent in some countries and territories, including in Syria, Cyprus and the Palestinian territories.

While stopping short of a state of alert, several countries were in mid-May hit by some kind of large drought, including the United Kingdom across 98 per cent of its territory since mid-March.

The UK’s official weather service, the Met Office, said the UK experienced its warmest spring on record – and its driest in more than 50 years.

The European Central Bank warned on May 23 of major economic risks from drought, which can threaten up to 15 per cent of production in the euro zone owing to increasing extreme weather caused by climate change. AFP