A significant and even extreme soil water deficit has been recorded in over half of the Slovak territory. The worst situation is in the Zemplin region, south-eastern Slovakia. The rainfall deficit is more than minus 100 millimetres. Extreme soil water deficit is spread over 17,7% of Slovakia mainly in Zemplin, western part of Danube lowland, Stiavnica hills, Zvolen basin and Topolcany surroundings. From the perspective of the length of the drought, the worst region is the Presov county. As Livia Labudova from the Slovak Institute of Meteorology informed, the area of Podolinec, eastern Slovakia, recorded a low level of soil moisture since March and other regions since the end of April.
Climatologist Pavel Fasko added that Slovakia has been suffering from rainfall deficit since September 2021. Despite cooler weather in July and some rain showers, the problem of significant lack of rainfall persists. As Fasko informed, such a little rainfall in such a long period of time has not been recorded in the territory of the now Slovakia since the end of the 19th century.
The serious impact of the drought has been recorded on agricultural crops including fading of vegetables with shallow root system and falling apples and pears as well as problems with vines.
Significant impact has been reported also by foresters speaking about fading foliage of beech trees and needles of fir and spruce trees among others.
Source: TASR, RSI
