Preliminary Weather Report: Sunny June Ends with Extended Heatwave in Germany

The German state of Saxony-Anhalt experienced an exceptionally warm and dry June, according to a preliminary report from the German Weather Service (DWD). The region's average temperature for the month stood at a notable 19.6 degrees Celsius, contributing to a generally hot summer start.

June briefly saw a new nationwide temperature record on June 29, when 41.5 degrees Celsius was measured in Drewitz, a part of Möckern in the Jerichower Land district. However, this record was short-lived, as the following day saw an even higher temperature of 41.7 degrees Celsius recorded at a weather station in Brandenburg.

Contributing to the dry conditions, Saxony-Anhalt received 51 liters of rain per square meter, which was 19% less than the long-term average between 1961 and 1990. This made the state one of the driest regions in Germany for the month. Conversely, sunshine hours were abundant, totaling 247 hours, exceeding the long-term average by 42 hours.

The DWD attributed the late June heatwave to an "Omega weather pattern." This meteorological phenomenon occurs when a stable high-pressure system is flanked by two low-pressure systems, resembling the Greek letter Omega. Such patterns tend to block atmospheric circulation, leading to prolonged periods of similar weather conditions, which in this case resulted in extended heat.