France under water, 35 days of continuous rain: record since records began

© picture alliance / MAXPPP | Jean Maurice Chacun

Nothing like this had ever happened since official weather statistics exist: with 35 days of continuous rain, France recorded the longest continuous period of precipitation since 1959, the year when systematic measurements began. That record has been confirmed by Météo-France: the 2023 record, which stood at 32 days, has been officially tallied.

The rains run from January 14 to February 17, a period during which the rain never really stopped for a minute. It was not a few isolated showers, but a continuous and persistent pattern of precipitation that changed the landscape: saturated soils, swollen rivers, flooded fields and wind gusts of up to 168km/h in areas such as Corsica. An event that marks a clear turning point in the country's recent climatology.

Flooding and highest alert

The effects are visible everywhere. Persistent water inflows have led to widespread flooding in several regions. Dozens of departments remain on orange alert, with some areas in the west on red alert due to critically high water levels in rivers.

Saturated soils can no longer absorb additional precipitation, and each new rain shower flows directly into streams and rivers. The result is a rapid rise in water levels, with river basins struggling to cope with the tremendous amount of water over the past few weeks.

Storm Pedro and the risk of spring tides

As if that was enough, the day before yesterday and yesterday, storm Pedro swept across the country. This deep depression brought rain once again. With that, the watercourses swelled further, drainage was once again impeded and new flooding occurred.

Further complicating the picture is the confluence with the very high tides on the Atlantic coast. High tidal coefficients are expected in the coming days, with a risk: on one side the rivers flowing toward the sea, on the other, the ocean, driven by high waves and spring tides, is pushing up the estuaries. In cities such as Nantes and Bordeaux, water levels can rise significantly, precisely at peak tide times.

A signal of climate change

Experts warn that such events are not isolated outliers. The increase in intensity and duration of precipitation events is part of a trend associated with climate change. Warmer air layers can hold more moisture, fueling extreme rainfall events.

Even though a rain dip is expected for the next few days, it does not mean that things will immediately return to normal. High-water dynamics will continue to develop slowly. After 35 days of continuous rain, France is discovering how fragile the balance between air, land and sea can become.

Source: Le Figaro

(©GreenMe.it 2026 / Managing Editor: Julie Morgan - The Press Junction /Picture: picture alliance / MAXPPP | Jean Maurice Chacun)