Searing Sunshine, Yet a Year's Worth of Rain Missing: The Unusual Drought in Germany
Weather is becoming sunny and drier.
Whip up a cuppa, 'cause Uncle Carlo's here to break down the German weather forecast! After the frigid start to May, the Ice Saints decided to party a little too early, but fear not, temperatures are set to climb, possibly reaching an oven-worthy 25 degrees in some spots.
ntv.de: Ice Saints Playing Hooky: Will Warmer Days be Here Soon?
Carlo Pfaff: The cold air invasion at the beginning of the week left a frosty bite in the air that still lingers in some regions at night. As the Ice Saints arrive on Sunday, the high-pressure influence will have strengthened, and the temperatures will have noticeably warmed up.
How Toasty Will it Get this Weekend?
Temperatures are expected to soar from 17 to 23 degrees, with the Upper Rhine and Rhineland-Ruhr region anticipating a scorching 25 degrees! The coastal areas will remain chilly with a cozy 15 degrees.
Sunny Skies Ahead?
Saturday will be a partly cloudy day, with sunshine gracing the southern parts of Germany, leaving Garmisch-Partenkirchen still in shadow. But on Sunday, the sun will be beaming across the entire country, offering up to 15 hours of sunlight in some regions, from the North Sea all the way to the Black Forest!
Will the Good Weather Last Through the Week?
Weather gods may toss an occasional thunderbolt at the Alps and the southern Black Forest, but overall, it's looking like prime sunbathing weather.
Drought Strikes a ChordIt's not all sunshine and rainbows, though. The recurring drought has sparked concerns. Rainfall totals are alarmingly low, with a mere 58 liters of rain per square meter since the beginning of meteorological spring on March 1.
Will this be the Driest Spring on Record?
With no major rainfall on the horizon for the next 10 days, we could be staring at the driest spring since the beginning of weather records. To alleviate this deficit, the last days of May would have to pile on over 25 liters of rain per square meter, a steep uphill climb!
The Rain DrainWhy is Italy experiencing torrential rainfall while Germany is parched? The answer lies in the persistent weather patterns. High-pressure systems have dominated our weather, huddled over Scandinavia. On the other hand, low-pressure systems have relentlessly marched across Spain and Italy, pushing rain clouds toward the Balkans, leaving German soil thirsty and barren.
Records Speak for ThemselvesGermany's current rainfall deficit is record-breaking, plummeting to levels not seen since 1931[1][2], with a shocking 68% less rainfall than the average for the same period from 1991 to 2020[1][2]. So, yep, 2025 is primed to take the crown for the driest spring on record (so far)!
The Great Divide: Rainfall in Switzerland and MunichSwitzerland's Ascona, nestled in the southern canton of Ticino, has been beyond soaked since March 1st, amassing a whopping 600 liters of rain per square meter—more than the annual rainfall in Berlin! Alas, Munich, on the other hand, has only collected a measly 70 liters, a stark contrast.
Sources:[1] ntv.de[2] Climate.gov
Keywords: Weather, Extreme weather, Drought, Water supply, Climate change
- Despite the warming temperatures and sunny skies, Germany is currently experiencing an alarming drought, with rainfall totals significantly below average.
- The recurring drought has raised concerns about the water supply, with only 58 liters of rain per square meter since the start of meteorological spring in March.
- This halt in rainfall could potentially lead to the driest spring on record, as no significant rainfall is forecast for the next 10 days.
- The persisting weather patterns are responsible for the difference in rainfall between countries, with high-pressure systems over Scandinavia promoting drier conditions in Germany and low-pressure systems across Spain and Italy sending rain clouds towards the Balkans.
- The ongoing drought is a critical issue that underscores the importance of climate-change research and environmental-science, as countries across the globe grapple with extreme weather and changing rainfall patterns.
