Weather: Blitze statt Hitze: Deutschland kühlt sich runter

Germany is experiencing a significant cooling after a period of intense heat, which saw preliminary temperature records shattered. The relief from the sweltering heat is accompanied by severe thunderstorms, bringing heavy rain and strong gusts of wind.

The German Weather Service (DWD) reported that overnight thunderstorms with potential for severe weather, including hail and intense rainfall of up to 40 liters per square meter, threatened southern and eastern Germany. The western and southwestern regions were also expected to experience severe thunderstorms with considerable rain and gusty winds in the latter half of the night.

Temperatures are forecast to drop to between 25 and 29 degrees Celsius, with some areas in the east and southeast reaching up to 32 degrees. The preliminary temperature record of 41.7 degrees Celsius was measured on Sunday afternoon in Neißemünde, located in the Oder-Spree district of Brandenburg, near the Polish border. This was the third national temperature record set within a few days.

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The current heatwave in this magnitude would have been almost impossible without the effect of climate change.

Previously, 41.3 degrees Celsius was recorded on Friday in Saarbrücken-Burbach, followed by 41.4 degrees at the same station on Saturday. Another preliminary record of 41.5 degrees Celsius was registered on Saturday afternoon in Möckern-Drewitz, Saxony-Anhalt. The night following these record-breaking daytime temperatures was the warmest since records began, with the temperature in Kubschütz, eastern Saxony, not dropping below 29.4 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record of 27.2 degrees from August 13, 2003.

Scientists from World Weather Attribution emphasize that such extreme heatwaves would have been "practically impossible" without the influence of climate change. The World Health Organization (WHO) chief has described heat stress as a "silent killer."

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silent killer