SOFIA, July 1 — Bulgaria experienced one of its driest months of June in the past 100 years, the national meteorological bureau reported in its latest monthly climate update, raising fresh concerns about water scarcity and agricultural stress across the country.
According to the bulletin, much of Bulgaria endured both above-normal temperatures and significantly below-normal rainfall throughout June, leading to depleted soil moisture reserves and strained river systems.
The effects of the drought were particularly visible in the country’s key agricultural zones, where the moisture needed for staple crops like corn and sunflower has been exhausted in some areas.
“In north-western regions, such as at Bazovets agrostation, and in parts of southern Bulgaria, the 50-centimetre soil layer had no available moisture for corn and sunflower,” the bureau stated. “Even the deeper one-metre soil layer retained less than 60 per cent of its maximum field moisture capacity.”
This scarcity of soil moisture is already impacting agricultural productivity, especially during the critical growth periods of summer crops. Compounding the problem was a period of intense heat in the final third of the month, when temperatures soared to 39–40 degrees Celsius or higher in towns like Vidin, Lom, Svishtov, Rousse, Sandanski, and Chirpan.
Lom recorded the highest temperature of the month on June 26, peaking at a sweltering 40.6 degrees Celsius — among the hottest ever recorded in the town. These extreme temperatures, coupled with relative humidity levels dropping below 30 per cent, triggered widespread heat stress in crops.
The meteorological report highlighted the damaging effects on pollination, particularly for temperature-sensitive vegetable crops. “The low humidity and high heat severely reduced pollen fertility in beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers,” the report noted, warning of lower yields and possible quality issues for summer harvests.
Though June 2025 was not as hot as the record-breaking June 2024, it was still significantly warmer than June 2023. The average monthly temperatures ranged from 19 to 25.5 degrees Celsius, exceeding the long-term monthly norm by 0.1 to 3.5 degrees depending on location.
Even Bulgaria’s capital felt the brunt of the scorching weather. Sofia saw a high of 35.3 degrees on June 27, while the city’s monthly low of 7.9 degrees occurred on June 1.
In mountainous regions, Chepelare in Smolyan district recorded a chilling minimum of 3.6 degrees on the same day, while Musala peak dropped to minus 3.3 degrees — the coldest reading for the month.
River systems also showed signs of distress, with water levels in most rivers measured around or below average, and in some instances approaching historic lows.
The long-term implications of sustained dry spells, particularly for irrigation and hydropower, remain a concern for government agencies and farmers alike.
With July underway, meteorologists and agricultural experts are closely monitoring whether the dry pattern will persist, potentially intensifying the risk of drought-induced crop failure and water shortages later in the summer.