Scorching Hot & Severely Dry: The Grip of the Drought Continues
Sunshine intensifies, and the landscape becomes parched.
In Germany, the grip of the Ice Saints is showing no signs of letting up, but they're not the only ones causing a chill. As meteorologist Carlo Pfaff explains, we can expect a rise in temperatures this weekend, with some regions reaching as high as 25 degrees. However, this warmer weather also means trouble as the drought persists, threatening the land and its inhabitants.
ntv.de: A chilly start to May, but will spring warmth return soon?
Carlo Pfaff offers some insight: the cold air intrusion at the beginning of the week was quite persistent and resulted in frost or ground frost in some regions at night. During the coming nights, we must still brace for these conditions in clear situations and the valleys of the midlands. The Ice Saints are typically thought to start on Sunday, but by then, high-pressure influence will have intensified, and the air will have warmed up noticeably.
Just how hot can it get this weekend?
A wide range of temperatures is expected, with 17 to 23 degrees likely for many areas, and 25 degrees possible in the Upper Rhine, Rhineland, and the Ruhr region on Sunday. The coolest regions will be directly at the Baltic Sea, with a forecasted 15 degrees.
Will the heat be accompanied by sunshine?
On Saturday, skies will clear in most areas south of the Danube. Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which has been without sunshine all week, can expect plenty of sunshine throughout the country on Sunday. Between 10 hours in the Ore Mountains and up to 15 hours of sunshine from the North Sea to the Black Forest are predicted.
Can we count on this nice weather to stick around?
At least until the middle of the week, with possible isolated thunderstorms at the Alps and in the southern Black Forest in the afternoons. Otherwise, it will be brilliantly sunny and dry.
Drought: A recurring concern
The increasing likelihood of forest fires and the growing burden of grass pollen are modest concerns. A more significant issue is the persistently low rainfall amounts. Since the start of meteorological spring on March 1, Germany has only received 58 liters of rain per square meter, and the driest spring could be on the horizon.
A record-breaking dry spring?
With no significant rainfall forecasted over the next 10 days, the last days of May would require over 25 liters per square meter on average to fill the rain deficit. The driest spring on record was in 1893 with 81 liters per square meter, and the second driest in 2011 with 89 liters. So far, the weather situation would have to change drastically at the end of May to avoid setting a new grim record.
Italy reports extreme rainfall amounts, what's the cause?
Europe has been witnessing recurring weather patterns in the past weeks and months. High-pressure systems have repeatedly dominated the weather over Scandinavia, leading to little to no rain in regions north of the Alps. Meanwhile, low-pressure systems have moved over Spain, northern Italy, and the Balkans, causing rain clouds to build up over the southern Alps, while Italy has experienced excessively high rainfall. For instance, Ascona in Switzerland's southern Ticino region received over 600 liters of rain per square meter since March 1st, which is equivalent to Berlin's annual rainfall. During the same period, Munich only received 70 liters.
Source: ntv.de
- Weather
- Extreme weather
- Drought
- Water supply
Insights:- March 2025 was reported as the driest March on record for Germany, setting the stage for a historically dry spring[1].- Europe scientific sources, including the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), have highlighted that the spring drought since March 2025 is worsening and expanding, affecting large parts of Central Europe, including Germany[4][5].- The ongoing severe drought in Germany is characterized by negative precipitation anomaly coupled with clear skies and dry winds[3][5].- Germany is currently under "warning drought conditions" by European Drought Observatory, indicating a significant threat to the water supply[5].
- The ongoing drought in Germany, reported as the driest spring on record, is causing a significant threat to the water supply, as revealed by the European Drought Observatory.
- The spring drought since March 2025 is worsening and expanding, affecting large parts of Central Europe, including Germany, according to scientific sources like the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC).
- The severe drought in Germany is characterized by negative precipitation anomalies, clear skies, and dry winds, setting the stage for extreme weather conditions affecting both the environment and the country's water supply.
