Last week was more or less dry in Denmark, and this week looks like more of the same. With only 5.3 millimeters of rain since the middle of April, there’s a downside to all the good weather.
This week is set to be even nicer than last week, with sun, little-to-no clouds and temperatures as high as 20C on Friday.
A knock-on effect of this is that the topsoil is starting to dry out in many areas, particularly in eastern Denmark and on the island of Bornholm. This, unsurprisingly, roughly reflects the areas which have seen the most rain (or in some cases, snow) so far this month.
How high is the drought index?
The current drought index is around 3.4 out of ten across the country, which is relatively normal for this time of year. If, however, the weather stays dry, that could get worse quickly, public broadcaster DR reports. On Bornholm, the index is already at 6.9, just on the boundary of “increased drought risk”.
In Zealand, the drought index is around 5 or 6 in some areas.
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A drought index of 0 means soil with 100mm of water available for plant life, while an index of 10 means that there is no water available.
This means areas with a drought index score of 6 need 60mm of rain to fall before the soil is once again fully hydrated.
Isn’t it supposed to rain this weekend?
Yes. The coming week is set to be dry and sunny, with rain or showers expected for the weekend. Until then, though, the ground will continue to dry out, meaning that any rain set to fall on Saturday and Sunday may not be enough to make up for the water already lost.
A map from Danish weather agency DMI showing the country’s drought index on April 27th. The index reads (top to bottom), high, increased, low and no risk of drought. Photo: DMI
