Climate Crisis Drives Severe Drought in Europe as Soil Desiccation Intensifies

A scientific analysis reveals that Europe is drying out due to extreme heat amplified by the climate crisis, worsening drought conditions across the continent. Record-breaking heatwaves caused water from rivers, lakes, soils, and plants to evaporate strongly into hot ambient air—conditions made 80 times more likely in Western Europe and 40 times more likely in Eastern Europe by global warming, according to the study. Soil dryness was made five times more likely in Western Europe and eleven times more likely in Eastern Europe due to fossil fuel pollution. The drought in 2026 began two months earlier than in 2022. Experts warn that if temperatures continue to rise, Europe faces a devastating wildfire season. The analysis underscores that high temperatures alone can trigger drought, raising urgent questions about the continent's future under projected warming of 2.8 degrees Celsius.