After several months of persistent drought, Tunisia experienced an exceptional rainfall episode in April 2025, especially in the north and the center of the country. In some regions, the cumulators have been almost twice higher than normal, aroused hope for a temporary respite in the water crisis that has hardly affected the country for several years.
According to data published by the National Meteorology Institute (INM), Jendouba, Kef, Siliana, Monastir, Thala, Kasserine and Gafsa stations have recorded remarkably high precipitation.
In Siliana, on April 27, it fell more than 64 mm of rain in a single day. Such quantities, sometimes fallen in a few hours, recalled the extent of climatic imbalances, but they also helped to realse the water tables and temporarily fill certain dams.
The North recorded a surplus of 149.1% rain compared to the monthly average, and the center of the country even reached 191.7%. These unexpected increases could relieve, if only partially, tensions on water reserves, especially in agricultural areas strongly dependent on rainwater for seasonal crops.
However, this episode should not be an illusion. The southern country, already vulnerable, has recorded a deficit of 40%, illustrating the territorial inequality of precipitation. And if the rain has been abundant, it fell into a very short period of time, sometimes limiting its infiltration and causing low -beneficial long -term streams.
Another paradox noted by INM: despite the heavy rains, temperatures continued to exceed seasonal normal, with a positive anomaly of +0.8 ° C. This discrepancy between sudden humidity and persistent heat is part of a broader trend in the climatic disruption experienced by the Mediterranean region.
In short, April 2025 will have been a month of climatic respite for certain Tunisian regions, but far from being sufficient to reverse the country’s water stress. However, it recalls the importance of better managing water resources, by capitalizing on these occasional episodes to strengthen storage capacities and improve irrigation efficiency.
