Sizzlin' Summers Ahead, But Germany Faces a Devastating Drought
Weather Updates: Sunshine intensifies, conditions turning arid.
Let's cut to the chase, shall we? The Ice Saints have got Germany in their icy grip, but by this weekend at the latest, temperatures are gonna heat up, reaching a scorching 25 degrees in some areas, as per meteorologist Carlo Pfaff's forecast on ntv. But here's the kicker - this heatwave's got its dark side.
ntv.de: After an extraordinary May start, the Ice Saints made a premature entrance. Will sunshine and warmth return soon?
carrierpfaff: This cold air intrusion at the beginning of the week was a chilly blessing and caused frost or ground frost in some regions at night. In the coming nights, you better bundle up, especially in clear conditions and the midlands' valleys. The Ice Saints are supposed to roll in on Sunday, but by then, the high-pressure influence will have strengthened, and the air will have warmed up noticeably.
Just how hot is it gonna get this weekend?
Temperatures will climb to 17 to 23 degrees across the country, with a records-breaking 25 degrees expected in the Upper Rhine, Rhineland, and the Ruhr region on Sunday. The coolest temperatures will be right at the Baltic Sea, with a balmy 15 degrees.
And there's sunshine comin' our way too, right?
On Saturday, you'll barely spot a cloud in the east, and it's finally gonna be sunny south of the Danube. Garmisch-Partenkirchen hasn't seen a single ray of sunshine this week. On Sunday, we're looking at 10 hours of sunshine in the Ore Mountains and up to a dazzling 15 hours from the North Sea to the Black Forest.
So, how long will this lovely weather last?
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's going to be brilliantly sunny and dry.
Drought, drought, drought - it's all we've been hearing about lately. Is there any relief in sight?
The increasing forest fire risk and the growing burden of grass pollen are only minor concerns. What's much more alarming is the consistently low rainfall amounts over the past few weeks. Since the beginning of meteorological spring on March 1, we've only received 58 liters of rain per square meter in the national average.
Could this be the driest spring ever?
We're expecting that it could become the driest spring since weather records began. Because for the next 10 days, not a drop of rain is in sight, so the last days of May would have to bring over 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 was in 2011 with 89 liters. The weather situation at the end of May would have to drastically change for even a chance to fill the rain deficit.
Why is Italy getting all the rain, you ask?
That's because of the different weather patterns affecting the two regions.
For weeks now, high-pressure systems have dominated our weather, originating over Scandinavia. Meanwhile, low-pressure systems have repeatedly swept across Spain and northern Italy towards the Balkans. This caused rain clouds to gather over the southern Alps, while regions north of the Alps often remained bone-dry. For instance, Ascona in the southern Swiss canton of Ticino received around 600 liters of rain per square meter since March 1st, which is equivalent to Berlin's annual rainfall. During the same period, Munich received only 70 liters.
Sources:* ntv.de* Climate Change* Drought* Water Crisis
- Despite the upcoming heatwave predicted by meteorologist Carlo Pfaff, the country will continue to face a devastating drought as the weather remains dry.
- The increasing forest fire risk and growing burden of grass pollen are minor concerns compared to the consistently low rainfall amounts since the start of meteorological spring.
- Germany may experience the driest spring since weather records began, as the next 10 days areforecasted to be rain-free.
- In contrast, regions such as Italy have been receiving substantial rainfall, due to different weather patterns affecting the two areas.
- The weather situation at the end of May would have to drastically change for even a chance to fill the rain deficit left by the dry spring.
