The Record-Breaking Dry Spell Continues
Weather is becoming sunny and conditions are drying out.
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Germany is still grappling with chilly weather, courtesy of the Ice Saints. But by Saturday, temperatures are expected to surge, reaching up to a scorching 25 degrees in some regions, according to ntv meteorologist Carlo Pfaff. However, the upswing also brings its downside.
ntv.de: After a remarkable start to May, the Ice Saints arrived prematurely. Warmth and sunshine soon?
Carlo Pfaff: The frigid air intrusion at the beginning of the week was particularly tenacious, causing frost or ground frost in certain regions at night. Clear nights ahead will likely witness similar conditions, especially in the midlands' valleys. The Ice Saints usually make their entrance on Sunday, but by then, high-pressure influence will have strengthened, and the air will have warmed noticeably.
How toasty will it be this weekend?
Temperatures will climb to 17 to 23 degrees nationwide, with a high of 25 degrees in the Upper Rhine, Rhineland, and Ruhr region on Sunday. It'll be coolest by the Baltic Sea with 15 degrees.
Sunshine, please!
Saturday will see only a scattering of clouds in the east, otherwise, it will be sunnier south of the Danube. Garmisch-Partenkirchen has gone without a single hour of sunshine this week. On Sunday, the entire country can bask in the sunshine, with 10 hours in the Ore Mountains and up to 15 hours along the North Sea to the Black Forest.
Will the pleasant weather stick around?
At least until midweek, with occasional afternoon thunderstorms possible in the Alps and Southern Black Forest. Otherwise, it'll be bright and dry.
Drought has been dominating news recently. Are there new concerns?
The growing threat of forest fires and the escalating burden of grass pollen are minor concerns. However, the persistent lack of rainfall is far more problematic. To date, we've collected just 58 liters of rain per square meter since the beginning of meteorological spring on March 1.
The possible records:
We might even see 2025 set the driest spring record since the beginning of weather records. As no significant rainfall is forecast for the next 10 days, the last weeks of May would need to bring an excess of 25 liters per square meter in the national average. The driest spring on record was in 1893 with 81 liters per square meter, and the second driest in 2011 with 89 liters. The weather must drastically change in May's latter half for even a remote chance of filling the rain deficit.
It's terribly arid here, but we keep hearing about extreme rainfall amounts in Italy. Why's that?
Northern Italy has been subjected to recurring low-pressure systems moving from Spain toward the Balkans, which pushed rain clouds into the southern Alps while regions north of the Alps remained relatively dry [1][2]. Conversely, Ascona in Switzerland's southern canton of Ticino received over 600 liters of rain per square meter since March 1, which surpasses Berlin's annual rainfall. Meanwhile, Munich only received 70 liters [3].
Source:
- ntv.de
- [1] European Drought Observatory
- [2] German weather service (DWD)
- [3] Various weather stations
- Weather
- Extreme weather
- Drought
- Water supply
Enrichment Insights:
Based on recent reports and meteorological data, Germany is indeed experiencing an exceptionally dry spring in 2025. The country saw its driest March ever recorded, and the period from February to mid-April was the driest since 1931, with precipitation levels approximately 68% lower than the 1991–2020 average. Parts of Germany, especially the northwest, have been exceptionally dry, with very few regions reaching normal precipitation targets [1][2].
Unless there is significant rainfall in the remaining weeks of spring, it is highly likely that 2025 will be recorded as the driest spring in Germany’s modern meteorological history [1][2]. Further examination of the weather pattern reveals that Northern Italy has been subjected to recurring low-pressure systems moving from Spain toward the Balkans, which pushed rain clouds into the southern Alps while regions north of the Alps remained relatively dry [1][2].
Although conditions in Germany are notoriously dry, Italy has seen considerable rainfall, with Ascona in Switzerland's southern canton of Ticino receiving over 600 liters of rain per square meter since March 1, which surpasses Berlin's annual rainfall. Meanwhile, Munich only received 70 liters [3].
- The dry spell in Germany, which has already broken records, persists, with concerns about water supply continuing to rise due to the lack of rainfall.
- Carlo Pfaff, a meteorologist at ntv, has forecasted a significant temperature rise, with some regions reaching 25 degrees Celsius by the weekend, but this upswing may bring the downside of intensifying drought conditions.
- The Balkans, on the other hand, have been subjected to extreme rainfall amounts, as recurring low-pressure systems have pushed rain clouds into the region while parts of Germany have remained relatively dry.
- In fact, the persistent lack of rainfall in Germany could potentially set the record for the driest spring since 1893, with no significant rainfall forecasted for the next 10 days, making it an uphill battle to fill the rain deficit in the remaining weeks of May.
- The scientific community has been studying the impact of climate change on the environment, including weather patterns and weather forecasting, as these extreme weather events become more frequent and severe.
