The 1473 heat and drought in Europe was a climatic extreme. The heatwave and drought in 1473–1474 lasted 14 months, affecting Western, Central and Eastern Europe as well as Southern Scandinavia, Ireland, Northern Italy and parts of Spain. This year was the culmination of several years of heat and drought between 1471 and 1474. In terms of its duration and geographical extent, it was probably the most widespread and extreme period of heat and drought in Europe in the past millennium. The weather patterns and their effects were reconstructed based on consistent reports in contemporary historical documents.
The countries affected today are: Southern Sweden, Denmark, England, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, western Russia, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary, Italy, Croatia, Serbia and parts of Spain.
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying 1473 heat and drought in Europe alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
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