This winter, when it was pouring rain and causing the Seine to overflow, Paris was already breaking records: February 19, 2026, stood out as the 36th consecutive rainy day in the capital. Now, the City of Light has set a different kind of record: while April 2026 was indeed wonderfully sunny, it also turned out to be one of the driest months in history.
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A record month for the capital
The blue sky, with the sun making almost daily appearances... This month of April has undeniably been radiant — much to the delight of Parisians who didn’t hesitate to rush to the terraces or parks. However, a darker reality lurks behind this exceptional sunshine: the lack of rain. In fact, a 90% rainfall deficit has been reported. The year 2026 joins the ranks of 2007, 2011, 1945, and 2020, which also experienced particularly dry Aprils.
Le mois d'#avril2026 se termine. Il arrive en 5ème position des mois d'avril les plus chauds après 2007, 2011, 1945 et 2020. Il a été très sec avec un déficit pluviométrique de l'ordre de -65% et généreusement ensoleillé avec un excédent de +32%. pic.twitter.com/0BFfgfXkyK
— La Chaîne Météo (@lachainemeteo) April 30, 2026
A national lack of rain observed
In total, only 6.4 millimeters of rain have fallen, while the average for this month since 2000 is about 40 millimeters. On the flip side, record temperatures, far beyond seasonal norms, were reached, particularly between April 7 and 10, where 25°C was felt in Paris. Although this abundant sunshine has been great for morale, it reflects an unprecedented climate disruption that has affected the entire Hexagon.
This rainfall deficit has a negative impact on the water balance of soils and could, right now, pose a major problem for farmers, especially as we head into the growing season.
The drought has lasted for over a month. Fortunately, rain is expected over the long weekend of May 1st, which should help bounce back — at least, we hope — from this early dryness!Voir cette publication sur Instagram