A very contrasted situation according to the regions
The driest period of the year is gradually ending in France while we are entering the second half of this month of August 2025.
On this August 18, the precipitation indicator in France is also around normal. Indeed, the average cumulation on the scale of the country reached 468mm, which is very close to the average national cumulation over the period 1997-2022 (difference of 2%).
Evolution of the precipitation indicator in France since January 1, 2025 – Infoclimat.fr
Nevertheless, this apparent normality of the cumulation of rain over these last 8 months is misleading, it indeed masks significant differences according to the regions. Since January 1, not all regions have been housed in the same brand in terms of rains, these showing themselves quite paradoxically more abundant between the south and east of the country.
Combined of precipitation on France since January 1, 2025 – Via meteo60.fr
It was especially during the spring that the cumulation was the most contrasting. The northern regions have indeed undergone an abnormally dry spring under the influence of high pressures that are too recurrent. Many sectors have not even reached the 100mm accumulated over three months, while a large southern part has known much more important precipitation, regularly excess.
Anomalies and accumulation of precipitation in France during the spring of 2025 -Weather
Thus, even if the annual cumulative on the scale of France is currently located around the average, the precipitation has been deficient in the northern half, especially during the spring, which was far from good news before the start of the hot season.
Drought in France in mid-August 2025
Our country barely leaves a particularly marked scorching period, especially in the south and the west. This excessively warm and mainly dry time (except for a few passenger thunderstorms) had the effect of clearly drying the soils on almost all of France, in particular between part of the Southwest, the center and the center-east of the country where the intensity of soil drought (between 0 and 100cm of depth) is to date considered extreme.
There is also a drought of the soils marked on the Hauts-de-France as well as on the Breton tip. Even if these regions have been more away from the scorching period, the lack of water in recent months (especially in the spring) also promotes a notable drought.
Intensity of surface drought in France on August 18, 2025 – Via Windy
More in depth, the situation is also very contrasting. It is in particular on a large center part and is from France as well as near the Pyrenees and on Brittany that the lack of water is the most notable in depth with tablecloths with low to moderately low levels in general on these sectors, sometimes very low on the side of the Massif Central.
The situation is however more satisfactory between Normandy and the Paris Basin, on the center-west of the country as well as in the Southeast and Corsica.
State of the water tables at August 18, 2025 in France – Via info safely
If it is normal to observe levels of water tables down in summer, we note all the same that more than 50% of the French underground water masses observe in this second half of August levels under the averages of the period, which is notable and contrasts strongly with the previous summer.
The situation should nevertheless improve in the coming days, especially in terms of surface drought with the return of more frank instability, mainly between the south and the east of the country. Nevertheless, precipitation will often occur in the form of thunderstorms, which means that not everyone will be housed in the same brand and that the drought situation should thus remain very contrasting on the scale of the country for this second half of August.
In addition, the north and a part of the west should again remain away from this instability, thus limiting improvement in the surface drought in these regions.
Evolution of soil drought levels in France between August 18 and 25, 2025 – Windy
Author: Tristan Bergen