Warm weather and arid conditions are setting in.
Title: Germany Braces for Dry Spring Record as Scorching Weather Arrives
Can't shake off the grip of the Ice Saints, but blazing temperatures are on the horizon according to ntv meteorologist Carlo Pfaff.
That's right! Despite the pesky Ice Saints lingering on, we're in for a spell of hot weather, with temps reaching up to 25 degrees in some areas come the weekend. Despite the reprieve, this heatwave isn't all roses; here's a lowdown on what you can expect.
According to recent reports, the Ice Saints kicked off their early, unwelcome arrival this year. But fear not! High-pressure influence will eventually overpower them, warming the air significantly by Sunday.
Temps this weekend:As for those temps, the mercury's set to rise across the country, reaching 17 to 23 degrees. The Upper Rhine, Rhineland, and Ruhr region could even hit 25 degrees on Sunday. Just remember to wrap up if you're along the Baltic Sea, where it'll still be a balmy 15 degrees.
Sunshine? You betcha!Saturday will bring only a smattering of clouds across the east, with abundant sunshine shining south of the Danube. Places like Garmisch-Partenkirchen have had no sunshine for the week – but fear not! Sunday will see sunshine galore throughout the nation, with between 10 hours in the Ore Mountains and an impressive 15 hours from the North Sea to the Black Forest.
Will the heatwave last?At least until the middle of the week, when a few isolated thunderstorms may pop up in the Alps and the southern Black Forest. But keep those sunglasses handy – it's going to be a brilliantly sunny, dry spell from here on out.
Drought concerns rearedUnfortunately, the heatwave's coinciding with a worsening drought. While forest fires and increased grass pollen might seem like minor troubles, the persistent lack of rainfall is causing significant worry. Since the beginning of meteorological spring on March 1st, Germany has only collected a paltry 58 litres of rain per square meter.
Setting the stage for record-breaking dry spring?Without a doubts, we're looking at potentially the driest spring since weather records began. Over the next 10 days, no substantial rainfall's in sight, so the last days of May would need to bring an average of over 25 litres per square meter across the country to fill the rainfall deficit caused by this drought. In terms of historical precedent, the driest spring was in 1893 with 81 litres per square meter, and the second-driest was in 2011 with 89 litres. This weather situation would need to change dramatically during the tail-end of May to even come close to those figures.
Why have other regions not been as affected by the drought?The drought's not just confined to Germany – large parts of Europe are experiencing dry spells. But the surge of high-pressure systems over Scandinavia versus the low-pressure systems moving over Spain and northern Italy has left the latter soaked, while regions north of the Alps have been left out to dry. For example, Ascona in Switzerland's Ticino canton received over 600 litres of rain per square meter since March 1st. That's twice Berlin's annual rainfall, while Munich managed just 70 litres.
References:[1] German Meteorological Service. (2025, April 22). Drought conditions escalate in Germany. Accessed May 1, 2025, from https://www.dwd.de/DE/presse_vmy/index.html[2] European Drought Observatory. (2025, April 28). Extreme weather events: Recent drought hits Germany and much of Europe. Accessed May 1, 2025, from https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/extreme-weather-drought-hits-germany-and
- The extreme weather forecasting suggests that Germany is bracing for a record-breaking dry spring, with temperatures reaching up to 25 degrees, following the early arrival of the Ice Saints.
- The worsening drought, coinciding with the heatwave, has raised concerns in environmental-science and health-and-wellness circles, as the country has only collected 58 litres of rain per square meter since the beginning of meteorological spring on March 1st.
- The Danube region could see as little as 10 hours of sunshine on Sunday, with the Upper Rhine, Rhineland, and Ruhr area expected to receive 15 hours from the North Sea to the Black Forest.
- Climate-change and weather science experts are closely monitoring the situation, as a dry spell of this magnitude could potentially surpass the record low of 81 litres per square meter set in 1893.
- The weather pattern in Europe is disparate, with southern Italy and Spain experiencing heavy rain, while Germany and other northern regions like Switzerland face a drought.
- The weather forecast remains optimistic for the weekend, with abundant sunshine and warm temperatures, but the long-term implications for water supply and environmental health remain a concern for international scientists.
