Tuesday, August 09, 2022

A Summer of Drought

One consequence of the extreme temperatures being experienced in Europe this summer is that most of the continent is now under a drought warning and many areas are under a severe drought alert. The European Drought Observatory's Drought Indicator map shows that nearly all countries in Europe are currently experiencing drought conditions.

The extreme heat across Europe has already led to wildfires in countries such as Portugal, Spain, France, Greece and Morocco. Fires which have resulted in hundreds of deaths and the evacuation of thousands of people. Now the prolonged heat wave is leading to drought conditions which are likely to seriously impact crop yields across the continent.

The EDO's July 2022 Drought in Europe Report (PDF) claims that "water stress and heat stress ... are driving crop yields down from a previous already negative outlook for cereals and other crops. This reduced expectation affects in particular: France, Romania, Spain, Portugal, Italy and to some extent Germany, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia."

The EDO Drought Indicator interactive map shows which parts of Europe are currently under a drought 'watch', 'warning' or 'alert'. The map also includes layers which allow you to view the continent's soil  moisture levels, monthly precipitation and daily temperatures.

While Europe suffers under extreme temperatures and a prolonged dry period South Korea has been experiencing the heaviest rain in decades. According to the BBC at least eight people have died in Seoul as a result of severe flooding. 

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