Southwest experiences sudden cold spell following heatwave - Sudden coolness sweeps across southwest regions following the heatwave.
After several days of intense heat, Southwest Germany is set to experience a cooling trend due to the erosion of a heat dome over Central Europe. This heat dome, which has caused prolonged heatwaves across the region, is weakening as a frontal wave moves in from the North Atlantic.
This incoming cold front is expected to bring a much colder maritime air mass from the Bay of Biscay into northern Iberia and France, creating a sharp temperature contrast and leading to a cooling effect extending into western Europe, including Southwest Germany.
For cities like Stuttgart, after experiencing temperatures approaching 35 °C on Monday and intense heat on Tuesday and Wednesday, a shift in weather is forecast. From Thursday onwards, a slight cooldown with the arrival of thunderstorms is expected. These thunderstorms could bring relief from the ongoing heatwave, accompanied by a temperature drop.
On Tuesday, the maximum temperatures will be 17 degrees in Upper Swabia and the Allgäu, 19 degrees along the Rhine, and 13 degrees in the mountains. The sun will barely make an appearance on Tuesday, with the day being heavily cloudy throughout. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), it will be wet already in the night on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the temperature in Waghaeusel-Kirrlach, a district of Karlsruhe, reached 38.7 degrees Celsius, the hottest day of the year so far. However, no further information about Tuesday or Wednesday's temperatures for other cities like Stuttgart, Upper Swabia, the Allgäu, or the mountains is provided.
It is expected that rain showers and brief thunderstorms will occur on Tuesday, with some places experiencing showers on Wednesday as well, according to DWD. The sun will be more frequent on Wednesday in the southwest, particularly along the Alb where the temperature will be 18 degrees. Along the Upper Rhine, the temperature on Wednesday will be 24 degrees.
In summary, the temperature drop is caused by the erosion of the heat dome due to a cold frontal wave coming from the North Atlantic. For Stuttgart and other Southwest German cities, the forecast after the peak heat midweek includes thunderstorms and rain, leading to cooler temperatures by Thursday and beyond. The heatwave that has brought temperatures up to the mid- to upper-30s (and close to 40 °C in some places) will subside with this weather front. This cooling trend is a welcome change following a prolonged period of temperatures consistently above 30 °C since mid-June in Germany.
- The employment policy within the community should address the potential impact of weather and weather-forecasting on outdoor work, as the cooling trend signified by this frontal wave could affect employment in Southwest Germany.
- As the weather forecasters predict a cooldown and the arrival of thunderstorms in Southwest Germany, the employment policy in the region should also consider flexible work arrangements to accommodate potential weather-related work disruptions.
