Drought conditions in Europe in mid-September 2023

The map displays variable drought conditions across Europe in mid-September.

Some areas in north-eastern Europe are experiencing dry conditions lasting already about 3 months. In central Europe and central Mediterranean regions, a new start of drought conditions is visible.

The Combined Drought Indicator (CDI) for mid-September 2023 indicates that the western Alps, central-southern France, most of Poland, Estonia, parts of Lithuania, Latvia, and Belarus, northern Scandinavia, central and western Ukraine, Moldova, and north-eastern Romania are in warning conditions due to low rainfall and dry soil.

In the UK and in the Netherlands, scattered warning conditions have emerged and confirmed. In Italy and the Balkans drought is slowly expanding.

Very few small areas in Scandinavia, eastern Romania, western Alps, and western Iberian Peninsula are under “alert” conditions, with vegetation still slightly affected by the drought. 

Recovery or normal conditions are present in most of Iberian Peninsula, Ireland, central-northern France, Germany, Greece, and partially in southern and eastern Scandinavia.

During this period, temperatures have been slightly above the seasonal average. The tail of the exceptional heatwave occurred in the first 10-days period of September persisted in Northern France, Switzerland, the UK, Ireland, and most of Scandinavia until 13 September.

Note: this analysis was performed on 26-09-2023 based on data referring to mid-September.