Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

WEATHER

Tuesday smashes year’s heat record as heatwave set to continue

July will go down in German weather history as one of the hottest since measurements began. And the month's final 24 hours have smashed the year's temperature record.

Published: 31 July 2018 17:15 CEST

Tuesday smashes year’s heat record as heatwave set to continue

Photo: DPA

At 2pm on Tuesday meteorologists from the German Weather Service (DWD) recorded a temperature of 39.2 degrees in Bernburg in Saxony-Anhalt. That temperature easily topped the previous high of 38.0 degrees set on July 26th in Duisburg.

Tuesday’s high is still some way off the all-time record of 40.3 degrees, which was measured on July 5th and August 7th, 2015 in Kitzingen. The city of around 21,000 inhabitants on the Main river holds the title of Germany’s hottest city.

July 2018 is expected to be the fifth warmest July since measurements began – after 2006, 1994, 1983 and 2010 and, after 2006. It will also probably be the second sunniest July since 1951.

Early August is not set to bring relief from the blistering heat. A low pressure continues to bring hot subtropical air to central Europe from the south of the continent. However, the new month will see turbulent weather in some regions, the DWD announced on Tuesday. From the southwest to the northeast a thunderstorm strip is expected to stretch over Germany on Wednesday. Heavy rain, hail and squalls can occur locally.

Member comments

Anonymous - 1 August 2018 at 17:39 CEST

93 degrees Fahrenheit and 25% humidity is not hot.

Stop being such pussies.

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

Severe weather warnings issued as Germany braces for more storms

Severe weather is expected in the southwest of the country on Friday, with the heaviest rain expected in Saarbrücken, as well as the surrounding areas of Saarland and southern Rhineland-Palatinate.

In these areas Germany’s weather service (DWD) has level 4 warnings in place – meaning that the rain is expected to be extremely heavy (more than 40 litres per square metre in an hour, or 60 litres per square metre in 6 hours).

Slightly less severe, but still heavy continuous rain can also be expected in the surrounding regions, extending as far as Stuttgart and Mainz.

Speaking to Bild newspaper, Climatologist Dr. Karsten Brandt suggested that the heavy precipitation and thunderstorms will continue to move northwest, even into southern North-Rhine Westphalia (Aachen).

There are also wind warnings in parts of the country, with squalls expected on the Brocken and the Fichtelberg mountains, as well as in the Black Forest and in the Alps.

Currently, the highest wind warnings are in Dresden and southern Bavaria near the Alps.

Friday’s weather warnings come in the wake of chaotic weather that flooded Nuremberg and parts of Bavaria Thursday night, where many roads flooded. Cars were submerged in water and bus routes were cancelled.

A number of household cellars also flooded as well as a large underground car park at the Technical University.

READ ALSO: Record heat deaths and floods – How Germany is being hit by climate change

What will the weekend bring?

Beyond the area of severe weather warnings but not beyond the reach of the storm, Cologne will have some rain on Friday which may continue on through the weekend.

Germany’s northern and eastern regions have dodged the recent bout of storms so far, but in Berlin scattered thunderstorms can be expected to move in by Sunday afternoon. This may put a dampener on the Karneval der Kulturen parade.

In Bremen and Hamburg, residents can expect some rain showers on Sunday and Monday, with a chance of thunderstorms as well.

In Munich and Nuremberg, it looks as if the worst is over. Some small showers may continue into Saturday, but Bavarian residents can look forward to a sunny Sunday ahead of the public holiday on Monday for Pentecost.

READ ALSO:

Url copied to clipboard!