Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

WEATHER

‘Sheep’s Chill’ cold snap hits Germany

An early summer weather pattern known as Schafskälte, or “Sheep’s Chill," has arrived in Germany, bringing chilly polar air, the German Weather Service (DWD) said on Wednesday.

Published: 3 June 2009 08:29 CEST
'Sheep's Chill' cold snap hits Germany
Photo: DPA

For the next few days, the typical June cold snap will mean temperatures between 14 and 22 degrees Celsius for most parts of the country – though ground frost is possible overnight in certain areas, the DWD reported.

On Wednesday, the northern and eastern parts of Germany will be cloudy with a chance of isolated thunder storms while temperatures remain a cool 15 to 19 degrees Celsius. The rest of the country will remain clear, with warmer temperatures in the Upper Rhine region.

Wednesday night will remain cloudy with temperatures between four and 10 degrees Celsius. Ground frost in central and south Germany is likely, meteorologists reported.

The weather on Thursday will be changeable with high temperatures between 14 and 20 degrees Celsius.

Cool temperatures between 15 and 21 degrees Celsius will continue on Friday with rain showers and thunder storms expected in northern and eastern Germany. By evening heavy winds and rain will also likely move south.

Schafskälte is a meteorological singularity that arrives in central Europe and Germany in June of most years. The weather pattern brings cool and humid air that generally lowers temperatures by 5 to 10 degrees Celsius.

The name “Sheep’s Chill” comes from the fact that sheep have usually already been shorn by June, making the cold weather a threat to their health.

Click here for The Local’s weather forecast.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

WEATHER

Severe weather warnings issued as Germany braces for more storms

Extreme weather warnings for heavy rainfall remain in place in parts of Germany on Friday following flooding in the south. There is also a chance of thunderstorms at the weekend.

Published: 17 May 2024 10:37 CEST
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:

SHOW COMMENTS