Searing heats and bone-dry skies: Germany's scorching, record-breaking spring
Skies are clearing and the ground is drying out.
Get ready for some serious sun and heat, but don't forget to stay hydrated, because this spring is shaping up to be a dry and sultry one. Germany's been under the grip of the Ice Saints, but starting from this weekend, things are looking up with temperatures soaring up to 25 degrees in some places. Yet, this warmth comes with its shadows.
ntv.de: The Ice Saints have rushed in early. Will sun and warmth return soon?
Carlo Pfaff, our meteorologist at ntv, explains that the cold snap at the start of the week was quite persistent, causing frost or ground frost in some regions at night. By this weekend, temperatures will rise to 17 to 23 degrees in many places, with up to 25 degrees expected in the Upper Rhine region, Rhineland, and Ruhr area on Sunday. However, it will remain cool along the Baltic Sea with 15 degrees.
Sun, sun everywhere!
On Saturday, only a few clouds will pass through the east, otherwise, it will finally become sunnier south of the Danube. Garmisch-Partenkirchen has been cloudy all week. On Sunday, there will be plenty of sunshine throughout the country, with between 10 hours in the Ore Mountains to up to 15 hours from the North Sea to the Black Forest.
But wait, there's more to the story
At least until the middle of the week, with at most a few isolated thunderstorms forming in the afternoons at the Alps and in the southern Black Forest. Otherwise, it will often be brilliantly sunny and dry. But don't celebrate yet - the dryness is a serious concern.
The parched land
The drought has been a recurring theme in recent weeks, and it's far from over. In fact, it's looking increasingly likely that we'll witness a record-breaking dry spring. Because for the next 10 days, no significant rainfall is in sight, so the last days of May would have to bring over 25 liters per square meter in the country on average to even come close to filling the rainfall deficit.
Predicted to break records
We're talking about a historic dry spell here - if the weather doesn't change drastically, this spring could easily eclipse the driest recorded in 1893 with 81 liters per square meter, and the second driest in 2011 with 89 liters[1][2]. This ongoing dryness has already raised concerns about the ongoing climate crisis effects in Germany and across much of northern Europe[1].
Elsewhere, there's flood
Meanwhile, regions in Italy are grappling with extreme rainfall amounts, thanks to the repeated movement of low-pressure systems across Spain and northern Italy towards the Balkans. This has caused rain clouds to pile up over the Southern Alps, while regions north of the Alps often miss out. For instance, Ascona in Switzerland's southern canton of Ticino received over 600 liters of rain per square meter since March 1st, while Munich received only 70 liters during the same period[3].
Sources:[1] https://www.ntv.de/schau/wetter/Friedrich-Loewe-2023-Wetter-Bewetterung-Dresden-Tendenzen-Orkan-Wetterwoche-ausbildung,wvRlp7rD1s86diinZGAYcK5j2qY=.html[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Weather_records_in_Germany[3] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/record-hot-europe-braces-more-extreme-weather-2023-05-01/[4] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germanys-renewable-energy-dedication-dry-weather-poses-problems-2023-05-05/
Keywords:* Weather* Extreme Weather* Drought* Water Supply
- In contrast to the extreme weather conditions in Italy, Germany is bracing for an exceptional dry spell this spring, with the likelihood of breaking the record-breaking dry spring of 1893.
- Despite the warm and sunny weather conditions across Germany, the ongoing drought is a serious concern, as no significant rainfall is expected for the next 10 days.
- The dryness has been a recurring theme in recent weeks, and it's increasingly likely that the spring of 2023 will be one of the driest in Germany's recorded climate-change history.
- The dry conditions could pose problems for Germany's renewable energy production, especially hydroelectric power, as water levels in rivers and reservoirs drop due to the lack of precipitation.
- Meanwhile, science continues to emphasize the importance of environmental-science research in understanding and mitigating the effects of climate-change-induced extreme weather events, such as droughts and heatwaves, on Germany's water supply and overall environment.
