Record-breaking heat reached today, as weather service officially logs the highest temperature of the year. - Today marks a new heat record, with the weather service reporting the highest temperature of the year to date.
In an anticipated turn of events, Germany is set to experience another heatwave, with temperatures forecasted to rise in the south, northwest, and parts of the north from Wednesday afternoon. This follows a series of isolated and more frequent severe thunderstorms predicted for the same day.
The German Weather Service (DWD) has reported that the highest temperature of the year so far was recorded on June 30, 2019, in Bernburg (Saale) in Saxony-Anhalt, where a scorching 39.6 degrees Celsius was reached. This year, on July 20, both Soltau and Cottbus recorded temperatures of 39.2 degrees Celsius, with Jena following closely behind at 39.1 degrees Celsius. These readings mark significant extremes for Germany's climate.
The DWD spokesperson has stated that it is possible to locally reach 40 degrees Celsius on the peak day, potentially breaking the current yearly high from Kitzingen. On Tuesday, Kitzingen in Bavaria recorded a temperature of 37.8 degrees Celsius, and Saarbrücken-Burbach reached 37.6 degrees Celsius.
However, the forecasts do not indicate that the all-time heat record of 41.2 degrees Celsius, recorded on July 25, 2019, at DWD weather stations in Tönisvorst and Duisburg-Baerl (both in North Rhine-Westphalia), will be broken this time.
In addition to the heatwave, the DWD has warned of possible thunderstorms, which may include heavy rain, hail, and strong gusts. Local warnings for severe weather, especially heavy rain, are in effect.
With these extreme weather events becoming increasingly frequent, it underscores the trend of increasing extreme temperature events across Germany and Europe, consistent with broader European heatwaves exacerbated by climate change.
As temperatures cool down a bit from Thursday, it is expected that they will remain high in the coming days, reflecting the ongoing challenge of managing such weather conditions for the country.
In light of the approaching heatwave, the German Commission may find it relevant to discuss the draft directive on employee protection from digital risks, given the heightened focus on weather-related issues. As the Commission consults on this matter, weather-forecasting teams predict sustained high temperatures in various German regions, with potential records being broken in the coming days.
