2024, a record weather year in the Meuse between torrential rains and exceptional heat

The year 2024 will remain engraved in the weather records of the Meuse. With an average temperature of 11.6°C, or 1.2°C above normal (10.4°C), according to L'Est Républicain, it stands out as the fourth warmest year never recorded in the department, behind 2023, 2022 and 2020.

But that's not all: 2024 was also marked by record rainfallmaking it the wettest year since 2001.

Temperatures above seasonal norms

All months except June (-0.05°C) had temperatures above seasonal averages. February, in particular, was spectacular, averaging 4.5°C above normal. “This is a clear sign of climate change,” underlines Arnaud Gleizes, forecaster and climatologist for Météo-France in the Grand Est.

This persistent heat, coupled with abundant precipitation, created a paradoxical meteorological year.

Record rainfall

With an average of 1 160 mm of precipitation in 2024or 23% above normal, the Meuse ranks sixth among the rainiest years since 1959. January, February and May particularly marked people's minds, with totals well beyond the usual monthly averages.

Mai, for example, recorded 162 mm of rain in Bar-le-Ducor a excess of 80% compared to normal. If this exceptional humidity caused local flooding at the start of the year, it also allowed a valuable recharge of groundwater, crucial for the water balance of the department.

Sunshine at half mast

Despite these excesses of water and heat, 2024 was a particularly gray year for the Meuse. With only 1,500 to 1,600 hours of sunlight, it shows a deficit of 10% compared to normal, recording the lowest sunshine since 2016. Only January and August experienced periods brighter than average.

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