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On Tuesday, the weather service WetterOnline was already reporting air in southern Germany that feels as if it has come from a hairdryer, with temperatures between 30 and 35 degrees. And while further south in Europe, for example in France, forest fires are already raging, the risk of wildfires is also increasing in southern Germany due to the dry gusty winds. Because it has not rained properly in many places for a long time and the brief thunderstorms have brought little relief, many forests and fields have dried out.
An omega high until mid-July
The European weather model ECMWF is in fact predicting a new heat dome over Europe – including south-west Germany – lasting until 14 July.
This time, meteorologists, according to t-online, are talking about an omega high, a powerful area of high pressure that, flanked by low-pressure systems, looks on weather charts like the Greek letter omega Ω.
In Stuttgart it is expected to be a little ‘cooler’ at first, with 26 to 29 degrees, but at the weekend temperatures in Baden-Württemberg will once again climb well above 30 degrees. In Munich the mercury is not expected to rise above the 30-degree mark again until Sunday.
It looks cooler in Hamburg, where there could even be a little rain at times and temperatures will be significantly lower. In the capital Berlin too, as the school holidays begin, it will remain noticeably fresher than further south.
Tropical nights in the Rhine-Main region from the weekend
When daytime temperatures rise above 35 degrees – the US GFS weather model is even forecasting up to 38 degrees on Sunday – there will once again be tropical nights. In Frankfurt am Main, forecasts suggest that from Saturday evening onwards it will remain tropically hot at night. According to the German Weather Service, a brisk north-westerly flow will bring very warm maritime air into Hesse.
And when exactly will thunderstorms, possibly bringing heavy rainfall, provide some cooling? The experts are still unable to give a clear answer to these questions. Some assume that from 15 July areas of low pressure will spread across the whole of central Europe.
Reliable forecasts are available for the next ten days, which predict high-summer temperatures in the south of Germany. Along the coasts, by contrast, the German Weather Service is expecting something closer to 20 degrees.
Will there be travel chaos?
During the heatwave at the end of June, numerous motorways had to be closed because the road surface could not withstand the extreme temperatures.
On 25 June, for example, the concrete on the A2 near Burg in Saxony-Anhalt swelled so badly that the motorway had to be completely closed and repaired for several days.
As the summer holidays begin in more and more federal states – next weekend in Berlin, Brandenburg and Hamburg – the start of the holiday season on routes heading south could prove a real challenge for many families.
At the same time, a debate has flared up in many European countries about how sensible it is to equip every home with air conditioning.