Overview
- World Weather Attribution published its analysis on Thursday, July 23, 2026, finding January–June evaporative-potential extremes were about 80 times more likely in western Europe and 40 times more likely in eastern Europe than in a pre‑industrial climate.
- The study reports agricultural soil droughts are now roughly five times more likely in western Europe and 11 times more likely in eastern Europe because of about 1.4°C of human-caused warming.
- Scientists say the main driver is a ‘thirstier’ atmosphere that holds about 7% more moisture per 1°C and pulls water from soils and rivers much faster than before.
- Concrete impacts are unfolding across the continent with irrigation limits in Romania, a Dutch water-shortage declaration, French crop warnings and drought emergencies on several Greek islands that are disrupting farming, shipping and industry.
- Faster soil drying raises immediate wildfire risk and could deepen crop losses and water restrictions this summer, and the findings signal that future warm spells will turn modest rain shortfalls into more severe droughts.