Heatwave to hit Germany with temperatures of up to 37C
Germany is set to be hit by scorching temperatures on Saturday in what weather experts are describing as the last major heatwave of July.
A short, sharp heatwave will arrive in Germany on Saturday, bringing temperatures to over 35C in the eastern and southeastern regions of the country.
The heatwave has its origins in the Mediterranean, where temperatures are set to soar as high as 45C this weekend. But since the hot air travelling up through the continent will rise up through the eastern regions of the country, the western regions of Germany are set to remain relatively cool.
The weekend will kick off with a milder day on Friday, with sunshine and light breezes. The north coast is likely to see a few rain showers, while elsewhere in the north the mercury could hit 26C.
In the mountainous southern regions, it will somewhat cooler with highs of around 20C, but the mercury could climb as high as 32C in the Upper Rhine region.
With hot air travelling up from Spain, however, temperatures are likely to rise quickly throughout the evening and potentially result in a tropical night.
By the early hours of the morning on Saturday, it will likely be t-shirt and shorts weather already - marking the start of one of the hottest days of the year so far.
Throughout the day, residents of Berlin, Dresden and Munich should have their fans at the ready, as meteorologists expect the mercury to hit between 34 and 37C.
In Frankfurt, however, it will remain a balmy but less overwhelming 26C, with similar weather in the northern coastal regions and in Hamburg.
As the hot air makes its way up to Scandinavia, the hot spell is likely to be "short, but fierce", said meteorologist Jan Schenk.
READ ALSO: Summer in Germany expected to be 'too warm again'
As cooler air travels in from the Atlantic and displaces the sweltering heat, there are likely to be severe thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain in most regions of the country, with traffic restrictions likely.
"The thunderstorms at the weekend must not be underestimated under any circumstances," said Schenk.
During the night, the storms will subside, but on Sunday, the southeast will once again be struck by severe weather - particularly in the Alpine regions.
Saturday's short burst of heat could be the last extreme heatwave of the month, according to experts.
Swimmers enjoy a hot July day at an open-air swimming pool in Dresden. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Bernd Wüstneck
Next week will start with much milder temperatures of between 20 and 24C in the northwest and around 25C in the southwest.
Residents in the eastern states, meanwhile, should still be carrying plenty of sunscreen and water: in the north, sunshine and summery temperatures of around 25 to 28C are expected, but the mercury could go as high as 30C in the south.
More extreme weather expected
The news of Saturday's heatwave comes just days after Germany recorded the hottest day of the year so far.
Last Sunday, the mercury crept up to a scorching 38C in Baden-Württemberg, with other states also seeing extreme highs: the German Weather Service (DWD) reported highs of 36.6C in Frankfurt am Main, 35.9C in Cologne, and 35.1C in Weimar.
READ ALSO: Germany swelters on hottest day of the year so far
In a recent survey conducted by journalists from WDR Quarks, NDR Data, BR Data and CORRECTIV, 96 percent of German districts said they were bracing for more extreme weather events in the coming years.
Scorching heatwaves, drought, forest fires and extreme flooding have all become more regular over the past decade and are already placing financial strain on municipalities.
According to the survey, 86 percent believe the financial burden of climate change will continue to increase over time.
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A short, sharp heatwave will arrive in Germany on Saturday, bringing temperatures to over 35C in the eastern and southeastern regions of the country.
The heatwave has its origins in the Mediterranean, where temperatures are set to soar as high as 45C this weekend. But since the hot air travelling up through the continent will rise up through the eastern regions of the country, the western regions of Germany are set to remain relatively cool.
The weekend will kick off with a milder day on Friday, with sunshine and light breezes. The north coast is likely to see a few rain showers, while elsewhere in the north the mercury could hit 26C.
In the mountainous southern regions, it will somewhat cooler with highs of around 20C, but the mercury could climb as high as 32C in the Upper Rhine region.
With hot air travelling up from Spain, however, temperatures are likely to rise quickly throughout the evening and potentially result in a tropical night.
By the early hours of the morning on Saturday, it will likely be t-shirt and shorts weather already - marking the start of one of the hottest days of the year so far.
Throughout the day, residents of Berlin, Dresden and Munich should have their fans at the ready, as meteorologists expect the mercury to hit between 34 and 37C.
In Frankfurt, however, it will remain a balmy but less overwhelming 26C, with similar weather in the northern coastal regions and in Hamburg.
As the hot air makes its way up to Scandinavia, the hot spell is likely to be "short, but fierce", said meteorologist Jan Schenk.
READ ALSO: Summer in Germany expected to be 'too warm again'
As cooler air travels in from the Atlantic and displaces the sweltering heat, there are likely to be severe thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain in most regions of the country, with traffic restrictions likely.
"The thunderstorms at the weekend must not be underestimated under any circumstances," said Schenk.
During the night, the storms will subside, but on Sunday, the southeast will once again be struck by severe weather - particularly in the Alpine regions.
Saturday's short burst of heat could be the last extreme heatwave of the month, according to experts.
Next week will start with much milder temperatures of between 20 and 24C in the northwest and around 25C in the southwest.
Residents in the eastern states, meanwhile, should still be carrying plenty of sunscreen and water: in the north, sunshine and summery temperatures of around 25 to 28C are expected, but the mercury could go as high as 30C in the south.
More extreme weather expected
The news of Saturday's heatwave comes just days after Germany recorded the hottest day of the year so far.
Last Sunday, the mercury crept up to a scorching 38C in Baden-Württemberg, with other states also seeing extreme highs: the German Weather Service (DWD) reported highs of 36.6C in Frankfurt am Main, 35.9C in Cologne, and 35.1C in Weimar.
READ ALSO: Germany swelters on hottest day of the year so far
In a recent survey conducted by journalists from WDR Quarks, NDR Data, BR Data and CORRECTIV, 96 percent of German districts said they were bracing for more extreme weather events in the coming years.
Scorching heatwaves, drought, forest fires and extreme flooding have all become more regular over the past decade and are already placing financial strain on municipalities.
According to the survey, 86 percent believe the financial burden of climate change will continue to increase over time.
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