Europe’s flash drought comes as heat causes ‘atmospheric thirst’, scientists say

Rivers and water flows low as evaporation rates rise in extreme warm conditions, study finds

Climate crisis-driven heat ‘sucking soils dry’ as extreme drought hits Europe

Analysis shows how heatwaves are making atmosphere thirstier, damaging water supplies, food production and power generation Extreme heat supercharged by the climate crisis is sucking Europe dry in summer and intensifying the drought hitting the continent, a scientific analysis has found. Record-breaking heatwaves meant the hot atmosphere strongly evaporated water from rivers, lakes, soils and plants – conditions made 80 times more likely by global heating in western Europe and 40 times more l...

By Damian Carrington Environment editor

Climate change has intensified Europe's risk of drought, scientists say

Human-caused climate change has intensified Europe's drought by making extreme heat, rather than low rainfall, the main driver of exceptionally dry conditions, an international team of scientists said on Thursday, warning that a warmer atmosphere is sharply increasing drought and wildfire risks.

By FRANCE 24

Thousands flee as wildfires hit France, Italy and Spain

Wildfires have raged through Sicily, southwestern France and central Spain, sparking thousands of evacuations and claiming the life of an Italian firefighter.