Sweltering Summer Ahead: Germany Braces for Record-Breaking Heatwaves

Blazing temperatures have been the norm for over a month, and there's little signs of relief on the horizon, say meteorologists. Germany's weather has been a rollercoaster - swinging between cooler periods and intense heatwaves. The average temperature recently hit a staggering 18.5 degrees Celsius, over 2 degrees warmer than the 1961-1990 reference period and an entire degree hotter than the slightly warmer period of 1991-2020.

The most severe summer heat this year has hit the southern and eastern parts of the country hard. The hottest temperature ever recorded during summer was on August 13 in Bad Neuahr-Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate, according to the DWD, reaching an astonishing 36.5 degrees. sixty days with temperatures surpassing 25 degrees and a record number of days exceeding 30 degrees were noted in southern German lowlands and Saxony's river valleys.

The weather service reported 26 of these sweltering days. They had high praise for the stations at Waghäusel-Kirrlach near Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg and Dresden. Yet, they also pointed out that Helgoland hadn't experienced a single day of intense summer heat, and along the coast, summer was just a fleeting visitor.

Rainfall was approximately 240 liters per square meter, which is relatively average compared to reference periods. However, there were notable differences in rainfall from one region to another. A whopping 600 liters per square meter were recorded in the Alpine regions, while parts of the northeast remained shockingly dry with under 150 liters. The DWD even mentioned excessive rainfall in certain areas, resulting in significant downpours that surpassed the entire summer's rainfall.

The weather service warned of these extreme temperatures and predicts they will persist, contributing to 28 summers with intense heat. Despite their warnings, Helgland and coastal areas didn't receive a prolonged visit from summer this year.

Other Noteworthy Info:

Climate change is expected to result in an increase in the frequency and intensity of heatwaves. Specifically, Germany is projected to experience 150 more heatwave events than the reference period, with a total heatwave duration of 1000 days under the SSP1-2.6 scenario[4]. Heatwaves in southern Europe, including Germany, may last at least six days longer than in the past, with over 4000 days classified as heatwave days between 2039 and 2100[4].

These trends suggest that the future holds a lot of heat, friends. It's crucial to adapt to these changes to protect ourselves and our environment. Stay cool!

Sources:

[4] German Weather Service (DWD). Climate Change Impacts on Germany and Europe (2021). [Accessed 18 August 2023]. Available from: https://www.dwd.de/EN/ourservices/services/climate/climatechangeimpacts/climate_impacts_results.html [5] Kaiser, M., Rehm, J., Hoffmann-Deutzsch, I., Stengel, H. & Franke, M. Heat risk perception and chronic diseases in Augsburg, Germany (2021). [Accessed 18 August 2023]. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S221464392100319X

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