Heat is back, at least in parts of Germany. For Sunday, the German Weather Service (DWD) in Offenbach forecast temperatures of 25 to 31 degrees Celsius for the north and northeast, and 29 to 35 degrees for the rest of the country. The southwest was expected to see the highest temperatures. Municipalities issued warnings about growing water scarcity.
According to the forecast, temperatures in the valleys of the southwest could reach as high as 36 or 37 degrees on Monday and Tuesday. The DWD also noted a "hesitant increase in shower and thunderstorm potential." It said isolated showers were possible in the north and northeast overnight into Monday, with isolated thunderstorms also not ruled out. Thunderstorms could then occur in the northwest on Monday.
The heat is expected to persist for now, the DWD said in its ten-day forecast. Initially, only isolated thunderstorms are expected. From Friday onward, however, the weather service anticipates more frequent thunderstorms, followed by a slight cooling.
Following the unusually early heatwave at the end of May and the extreme heatwave at the end of June, meteorologists say this is already the third heatwave of the summer for the southwest. However, record temperatures like those seen at the end of June, which, according to estimates by the Robert Koch Institute, caused at least 5,100 heat-related deaths in Germany, are not currently expected. At that time, temperatures of more than 41 degrees were recorded in some places.
Many regions are experiencing very dry conditions. The German County Association therefore called for restrictions on water use for leisure purposes. "We are dealing with stronger heat and drought phases in different regions," said Achim Brötel, president of the German County Association, in an interview with the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung published over the weekend. He said this would "also mean that private comfort uses of water, such as pools, will have to be questioned." Water suppliers would issue recommendations "that should be observed," he added.
The Association of Local Public Utilities (VKU) called in the same newspaper for new permit requirements for water extraction, including for private purposes. Until now, private individuals have been allowed to use water from bodies of water, for example to water their gardens. In some regions, however, this has already been banned this summer.
VKU Vice President Karsten Specht told the newspaper: "Permit-free uses must be restricted as far as possible." The association explained that pressure on groundwater resources is growing due to climate change. According to Specht, "transparency must be created on the question of who accesses water resources, when, and to what extent."
Forest and open-land fires were reported from several regions of Baden-Württemberg. The Mannheim police headquarters said on Sunday that seven field fires had occurred within its jurisdiction in the past 24 hours alone. Near Karlsruhe, a fire broke out in the Mauertal valley between Weingarten and Walzbachtal on a harvested grain field, as well as on fallow land and a stubble field in the town of Stutensee. There, 27 residents of an assisted-living facility had to be evacuated.
In Bavaria, State Forestry Minister Michaela Kaniber (CSU) warned of a high risk of forest fires. She urged all forest visitors to remain especially vigilant, not to light fires in or near forests, not to grill or set off fireworks there, and to observe smoking bans. "A single spark can be enough," Kaniber said.
According to a media report, 23.4 percent of households now own an air conditioner. These are mostly portable units, so-called monoblock devices, which vent warm air outside through an exhaust hose. Newspapers of the Funke Media Group cited a representative survey commissioned by the comparison portal Verivox in their report. A year ago, only 17.9 percent of households had an air conditioner, according to the survey.
"The extraordinary heatwave of recent weeks has significantly increased interest in air conditioners," Verivox energy expert Thorsten Storck told the Funke newspapers. Mobile air conditioning units were temporarily sold out in many places, he said.
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