According to seasonal forecasts from French weather service Meteo-France for August to October, temperatures are more likely to remain above normal across the country.
PARIS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- France's groundwater drought worsened further in July amid repeated heatwaves, with 63 percent of groundwater monitoring points recording levels below normal, the French Geological Survey (BRGM) said Monday.
The BRGM said groundwater levels showed a downward trend nationwide in July, due to a lack of effective rainfall since May, as well as more severe droughts and high temperatures in June and July.
By the end of July, only 16 percent of groundwater monitoring points reported levels above normal, 21 percent at or around normal levels, and 63 percent below normal levels, compared with 22 percent, 24 percent and 54 percent, respectively, at the end of June.
The situation was also worse than the end of July 2025, when 30 percent of groundwater levels were above normal, 26 percent around normal and 44 percent below normal levels.
According to seasonal forecasts from French weather service Meteo-France for August to October, temperatures are more likely to remain above normal across the country.
According to the BRGM, higher temperatures, increased water withdrawals and rising water needs of vegetation are expected to further reduce groundwater reserves across almost all aquifers at least through August. The decline is expected to ease in September as water demand decreases and the irrigation season ends.■
