Heatwave in Germany Reaches Its Peak With 34°C

With peak temperatures crossing the 30-degree mark, the current heatwave across Germany is reaching its climax on Tuesday. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), temperatures in the southwestern parts of the country are expected to range between 29 and 34 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with the highest values forecast for the Upper Rhine region. Along the coasts and in the northeast, conditions will be noticeably milder, with temperatures hovering between 21 and 29 degrees.

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How Close Is Germany to a Historic May Record?

Unlike the situation recently seen in the United Kingdom, Germany is not expected to set a new temperature record for the month of May, according to the DWD. The existing monthly high of 36.6 degrees was recorded in Hamburg back in 1922. The weather service, based in Offenbach, stressed that this record is currently "not in danger."

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When Will Temperatures Start to Drop?

The heat is set to continue across much of Germany in the coming days, though temperatures will begin to ease. The DWD reported that the southern regions can still expect highs of 27 to 33 degrees on Wednesday, while Thursday may bring temperatures of up to 30 degrees, particularly around the Upper Rhine area.

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In the north, it will remain considerably cooler, with temperatures of 18 to 25 degrees forecast for Wednesday and 18 to 23 degrees on Thursday. Overnight into Thursday, clear and cloudless skies in the north could even bring localised ground frost, according to the DWD.

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What Is Driving This Early-Summer Heatwave?

Large parts of Western Europe are currently in the grip of an early-summer heatwave. According to the German Weather Service, this is the result of a so-called blocking weather pattern, in which a high-pressure system becomes stationary due to a wave in the atmospheric jet stream. Within this system, air sinks and warms in the process.

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Unobstructed solar radiation, made possible by the near-total absence of cloud cover, leads to increasingly intense heating. In addition, already hot and dry air from North Africa is flowing into the high-pressure zone. This creates what is known as a heat dome. According to the DWD, however, Germany lies only on the edge of this dome of hot air. "Otherwise, records would be in danger here too."

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