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WEATHER

Heatwave in Germany: Temperatures up to 38C expected at the weekend

Plenty of sunshine and temperatures stretching far above the 30C mark: summer in Germany is making a shining appearance at the weekend.

Published: 7 August 2020 10:01 CEST
Updated: 7 August 2020 13:35 CEST
Heatwave in Germany: Temperatures up to 38C expected at the weekend
The sun was already shining strongly at this meadow in Hamburg on Friday morning. Photo: DPA

On Friday, the mercury in many parts of the country was set to climb to between 30 and 36C, the German Weather Service (DWD) announced in the morning.

Only south of the Danube river and on the coasts, the Hitze (heat) will not be quite as strong, with temperatures of 27 to 30 degrees expected.

READ ALSO: Is it ever legally too hot to go to work or school in Germany?

The sunny weather will stretch into the weekend, with only low mountain ranges expecting short rain showers.

On Saturday, temperatures are slated to reach between 30 and 37C, with a slightly cooler outlook on Germany’s islands in the north, and in the mountains in Bavaria and the south. Those in the east and northeast parts of the country will receive a bit of relief with windier weather. 

On Sunday, temperatures around the country are predicted to range between 30-36C. In the west and southwest, they are set to stretch as high as 38C in the west, particularly in areas along the Rhine River.

Stormy weather is possible in the morning in the eastern parts of the country, as well as in the lower mountain ranges and Alps. 

In Berlin, where all swimming pools had already sold out by Thursday, temperatures were expected to reach 36C on Saturday and 32C on Sunday. Munich was set to be much cooler, with temperatures of 29C on both Saturday and Sunday.

The western parts of the country were to be hit particularly hard: Cologne was slated to see temperatures of 37C on both Saturday and Sunday. In Frankfurt the Mercury would rise to 36C on both weekend days.

A sunflower in Berlin's Tiergarten being watered on Friday morning. Photo: DPA

DWD tweeted in their latest weather report that the “heat is coming and staying.”

Summer travellers

Rail operator Deutsche Bahn is preparing for more passengers over the warm weekend, as summer holidays were coming to a close for several states on Friday.

The state-owned company on Friday said it was working to prevent problems with air conditioning systems in long-distance trains – especially during heat spells and in the middle of the coronavirus crisis.

READ ALSO: Is it safe to go swimming in Germany this summer?

The number of ICE 4 trains with “particularly powerful air-conditioning systems” has now doubled to 49 compared to the summer of 2019. 

“The new double-decker IC trains also have air-conditioning systems designed for outside temperatures of over 40C,” a spokesman said.

Member comments

  1. Well, at least you guys have low humidity so the heat is a bit more tolerable, unlike in Texas where we not only have triple-digit temperatures to contend with, but on average 90%+ humidity too, which makes the heat that much more worse. This is a great time to get out and plant something though.

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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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