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WEATHER

Germany to see temperatures up to 29C as spring heat spell continues

After record setting temperatures in Germany over the weekend, it is set to be warm again on Monday in much of the country. How is the country adapting to continually hotter than usual weather?

Published: 8 April 2024 10:45 CEST
blossoms in the park
People in Germany were out in t-shirts and shorts last weekend enjoying temperatures up to 30C. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Monika Skolimowska

With Germans strutting around in shorts and sandals, it felt more like summer than spring over the weekend. 

According to preliminary data from the German Weather Service (DWR), with a high temperature of 30.1C recorded in Ohlsbach in the Rhine Valley on Saturday, the Bundesrepublik has never before seen such high temperatures this early in the spring season since regular weather recording began in Germany. 

Up to 29C at the start of the week

If you unpacked some summer clothes for the weekend, there’s no need to pack them away now. On Monday it will be warm again – in some places downright hot. 

Temperatures of 24 to 29C and plenty of sun are expected in large parts of the country, according to the German Weather Service (DWD). 

However, those living in the northwest may want to keep an extra layer or even a raincoat on hand, as that region is expected to experience slightly lower temperatures of 16 to 23C and lots of cloud cover. Rain showers are also possible there during the day, with strong thunderstorms foreseeable in the evening.

The DWD expects light to moderate winds on Monday, with gale force winds only expected on Alpine peaks.

More heatwaves to come

In Germany, weather with temperatures above 30C is considered a heat wave. As weather patterns warm around the world due to human induced climate change, heat waves are becoming more common in Germany each year.

Heat records have been broken again and again for years. The hottest year in Germany since weather records began was 2023, replacing 2022 as the previous record holder. It looks likely that 2024 will break the record again. 

READ ALSO: More floods, droughts and heatwaves: How climate change will impact Germany

Heat waves cause significant issues for infants, young children, people aged 65 and over, and people with pre-existing conditions. These vulnerable groups are more likely to experience dehydration, circulatory problems, sleep disorders or heat stroke during a heat wave.

The heat can even be fatal: according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), there were around 3,200 heat-related deaths in the summer of 2023. 

How prepared are German cities for heat waves

Germany Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) announced last June that he wanted to introduce several measures against heat hazards. As a result, a November meeting with government and civil society representatives analysed existing concepts and resources for heat protection measures, and set goals for improving them.

In many cities, heat warnings are issued via websites, flyers or social media. Stuttgart also has a refrigerated bus, and is creating a map of cool places in the city, such as: shady green spaces, water playgrounds, drinking fountains, refill stations (filling water bottles), bathing facilities and air-conditioned or cool buildings such as museums, libraries and churches.

Similar systems exist in Hanover, Munich and Düsseldorf. 

Many state capitals such as Hanover, Dresden, Mainz, Erfurt, Bremen, Düsseldorf and Munich are relying on the construction of new drinking water wells. 

READ ALSO: How German cities are adapting to rising temperatures

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WEATHER

More rain forecast as storms hit western Germany

Severe storms and heavy rain affected parts of Germany on Thursday, creating disruptions. More rain is forecast on Friday but weather warnings have been lifted.

Published: 3 May 2024 09:53 CEST
More rain forecast as storms hit western Germany

Major storms hit western Germany on Thursday, causing travel disruption and flooding. 

In parts of Baden-Württemberg, streets were flooded and rivers swelled. Bisingen, southwest of Tübingen, was particularly hard hit, with cellars and streets plunged under water.

Police said there was also traffic disruption. In Baden-Württemberg’s state capital Stuttgart, severe storms and lightning caused issues and some roads were closed.

A lightning strike in the Sigmaringen area resulted in a broken signal box on the railway line. According to Deutsche Bahn, no train journeys were possible in the region in the early evening with several delays and cancellations.

Other states were also affected.

There were around 300 relief operations in the Ahrweiler district in Rhineland-Palatinate, which was hit by the 2021 deadly flood disaster.

Police said no-on was injured, although basements and streets were flooded. The water levels of the Ahr were being closely monitored.

Emergency services in Bisingen on Thursday.

Emergency services in Bisingen on Thursday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Silas Stein

In Trier, too, streets were flooded after heavy rain and there were hailstorms. The Koblenz police headquarters reported fallen trees. Significant property damage due to full cellars and flooded streets was also reported in some areas. 

Heavy showers also fell in Hesse, accompanied by thunder storms. In Frankfurt, according to the fire department, the heavy rain caused water to enter the Bethanien Hospital and even reach the intensive care unit of the clinic.

“We were able to contain the damage relatively quickly and prevent it from spreading,” said fire department spokesman Thorben Schemmel, adding that no patients were affected.

In Rhineland-Palatinate, the Eifel region was particularly affected, with reports of flooded streets after heavy rain and hailstorms.

North Rhine-Westphalia also saw storms late in the afternoon on Thursday. 

The German Weather Service (DWD) said it expected some heavy rain and hail in parts of the country on Friday – particularly in the west – and at the weekend but warnings of severe weather have been lifted. 

The DWD said there could still be one or two strong thunderstorms in the northeast on Friday. However, it will be a significantly quieter day compared to Thursday. Temperatures of up to 25C can be expected.

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