Yearly high temperature reached by DWD
In a scorching summer, the German Weather Service (DWD) has reportedly measured the highest temperature of the year so far. On Tuesday, the Bavarian town of Kitzingen recorded a blistering 37.8 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous 2025 record of 36.2 degrees Celsius set in Saarbrücken on June 22.
However, this temperature falls short of Germany's absolute highest temperature, which was recorded on July 25, 2019, reaching 41.2 degrees Celsius at weather stations in Tönisvorst and Duisburg-Baerl in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Looking ahead, the DWD predicts that temperatures are expected to rise slightly again immediately after July 1, with the possibility of breaking the recent 37.8-degree record once more before a slight cooling trend is forecast from Thursday onward.
The severe heatwave is not confined to Germany. Across Europe, temperatures have soared above 40 degrees Celsius, underscoring a trend of increasingly extreme heat events in the region. The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service has reported that Europe has warmed twice as fast as the global average since the 1980s, signaling that higher temperature records are likely to continue in the future.
In addition to the soaring temperatures, the DWD expects thunderstorms in various parts of the country. These thunderstorms are predicted to occur primarily in the afternoon on Wednesday, with the DWD warning of heavy rain, hail, and strong gusts. Local warnings for severe weather, especially heavy rain, will be issued.
Despite the impending cooling trend, the DWD expects temperatures to remain high after the heat wave. The thunderstorms are expected to be more frequent in the northwest and parts of the north in the late afternoon. It is expected that the temperature in Kitzingen will get even hotter on Wednesday, but the DWD forecasts a cooling down of temperatures from Thursday.
While the current record for 2025 may not match the all-time high, climate trends and forecasts suggest that Germany could experience even higher temperatures in future heatwaves. The preliminary temperature recorded in Kitzingen on Tuesday is subject to change, according to the DWD.
The Commission has also been consulted on the following issues: the science behind climate-change and its impact on the environment, particularly weather patterns and extreme events such as this current heatwave. The European Union's Copernicus Environmental-Science Service is monitoring the rapid warming trend in Europe and predicts that higher temperature records are likely to continue in the future.
