Scorching heat will be engulfing Germany this week, according to major forecasters. Its climax is expected to show this coming weekend. The entire republic will be affected, but temperatures in its eastern part might be even higher for a longer period than in the rest of the country.
From Berlin down to Dresden, thermometers will show more heat every day. Today, maximum temperatures are supposed to hit 28 degrees Centigrade (82 degrees Fahrenheit). On Wednesday, they will have increased to 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) and by Thursday, 34 degrees C (93 degrees F) are expected in almost all of Germany.
Friday will be brutal. This is when the current heatwave is supposed to turn the Federal Republic into a sauna. Up to 36 degrees C (97 degrees F) are forecast for the country’s east, including Berlin. In the capital and the entire region, but also in Hamburg and Dresden, 40 degrees C (104 degrees F) are expected to make everyone sweat on Saturday. In the rest of Germany, the maximum temperatures might hit 37 to 39 degrees C (99 to 102 degrees F), if the forecasts are accurate.
Recommendations by Federal Environmental Agency
On Sunday, Hamburg might be celebrating due to some relief, since the heat is supposed to decrease to some extent. But in Berlin, things will be getting worse. Thos Sunday, June 28th, maximum temperatures could hit 42 degrees C (107.6 degrees F). But the difference compared to other regions will be only a few degrees. Monday hardly looks better, according to the latest forecast.
According to the German authorities, the expected heatwave will be extreme. The Federal Environmental Agency is asking people to exercise caution. Engaging in physical activity between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. is not recommended. Even errands, such as shopping at the supermarket, should be run early in the morning or late in the evening.
Apartments or houses need to be ventilated in the mornings and evenings, shutters and curtains should be closed in order to make sure homes do not heat up more than they will anyway. Nobody should be spending more than a few moments in cars that are not cooled down by either A/Cs or an airstream. This applies to pets as well.
According to the Ministry of Health in Berlin, 19,000 heat-related deaths were registered in the hot summers of 2018, 2019 and 2020. Cities and communities are supposed to implement plans to protect inhabitants, animals and plants from the excessive heat. The danger of forest fires increases with each degree.
