Drought affected 77% of France by mid-August

Record heat, missing rainfall and exceptionally dry soils define the summer climate picture.

77 %Juillet recordSolsEau

Record heat, missing rainfall and exceptionally dry soils define the summer climate picture.

0177 %02Juillet record03Sols

In this file01 · An exceptional drought 02 · Heat and missing rain 03 · Farms, cities and energy 04 · Source

An exceptional drought

By mid-August, 77% of France was experiencing soil drought with a return period above 25 years. The affected share rose from 4% on 1 June to 30% on 1 July and 65% on 1 August.

Key points✦ 77 %✦ Juillet record✦ Sols✦ Eau

Heat and missing rain

July 2026 was the hottest month ever recorded in France across all calendar months. June rainfall was roughly half normal and July's deficit approached 70%.

Drought affected 77% of France by mid-August · 1 — FRA9 · 01

Drought affected 77% of France by mid-August · 2 — FRA9 · 02

Drought affected 77% of France by mid-August · 3 — FRA9 · 03

Farms, cities and energy

Effects overlap across crop yields, water restrictions, urban comfort, forests and energy-system cooling. Local adaptation now matters alongside emissions cuts.

Source

Météo-France, ‘Drought in France: soils have never been this dry’, 18 August 2026.