Tropical nights are unfortunately no longer an exception in Germany in recent years. Even last year, the summer was unbearably hot in places. Now the German Weather Service has issued a warning for the coming weekend in June. On Saturday, with the exception of the north and north-west of Germany, a strong heat load is expected. This will be repeated in the south and east of the country on Sunday.
A scorching weekend
The coming Saturday, June 18, will break the 36° mark with 17 hours of sunshine; on Sunday, June 19, 35° will approach Cologne.
Where is the heat coming from? Since the beginning of the week, Spain has been overrun with scorching hot air from the Sahara. The biggest heatwave for almost 20 years has led to temperatures of up to 40 degrees in Madrid and 44 degrees in Cordoba. This air will move north-east over the course of the week and after a pleasant summer’s day on Friday, the weather will become increasingly extreme from Saturday. The whole of Germany will become an over-30 zone; even at night, temperatures will not drop below 20°. On Sunday, heat thunderstorms in the northwest could bring some long-awaited refreshment.
How will the summer develop?
wetter.de meteorologist Björn Alexander presented several variants of the upcoming summer development. According to European weather models , the heat will continue and will rise again next week until Friday. The American model has milder forecasts, predicting a greater risk of thunderstorms and lower values. This means that heavy rain, hail or even gale-force winds could be waiting on the horizon.
Fighting the heatwave
If your home faces north or north-east, you’re in luck. But take precautions in good time: Keep the windows closed if possible, leave the curtains or blinds down. Even better if they are external blinds. Ventilate at night and early in the morning! Use a fan, preferably with a damp cloth over it so that the evaporative cooling can take effect. Switch off electrical appliances that you don’t need. Make enough ice cubes and don’t forget to apply plenty of sunscreen when you go out. SPF 50 is our friend this weekend.
It is not forbidden to swim in the Rhine. But beware: the undertow can pull even experienced swimmers to the bottom. If you are caught by a current, don’t resist, but let yourself drift to the nearest shore. Good luck in the heat battle!