Consequences of last summer's drought still visible in Netherlands

The consequences of last year's dry summer are still noticeable in large parts of the Netherlands. The average precipitation deficit in the country is currently at 65 millimeters, while there is usually a surplus of around 200 millimeters on March 31st, Weeronline reports.

There are large differences in precipitation levels per region. Since April 1st last year, between 100 and 200 millimeters less rain fell than water evaporated on the sandy soils in the south and east of the Netherlands. Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, Drenthe and the Veluwe currently has a precipitation surplus. But the rest of the country is facing deficits of between 10 and 60 millimeters.

The fact that the groundwater level is still not back to normal in many places in the Netherlands, means that if there is a new drought it will cause problems far faster than usual in the new growing season, which started on Monday.

Last month meteorological institute KNMI could not yet predict whether this summer will be a dry one. "It is still too early to say anything about it", a spokesperson said to NU.nl.