France experiences 'unprecedented' winter with storms, major floods and record rainfallhttps://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2026/03/05/france-experiences-an-unprecedented-winter-with-a-series-of-storms-major-floods-and-record-rainfall_6751113_114.htmlIn the words of Christine Berne, a climatologist at Météo-France, February shifted the season into the "unprecedented." With rainfall totals equivalent to twice the seasonal norm, it became the wettest February ever recorded since measurements began in 1959, surpassing 1970. For the entire winter, rainfall was 35% above average, making it the eighth-wettest season since records began. From Brittany to the Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean rim, it rained more than one day out of two, and in some cases, more than two days out of three. "Rainfall was almost daily from January onward," said Berne, with 40 consecutive days of precipitation – a record.
Some cities experienced unprecedented totals: 798 mm in Quimper (northwest) 737 mm in Durban-Corbières (south) and 526 mm in Montpellier (south). While Météo-France described this rainfall as "unusual" – and even "locally historic" – the agency noted that comparable early-year patterns were seen in 1995, 2014 and 2016. The soil moisture index, however, reached a record high since measurements began in 1959.
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Within a country whose projected temperature will rise by +4°C by 2100, according to the reference trajectory for climate change adaptation, winter precipitation could increase by about 20%. The winter of 2025-2026 already offers a preview of that future.