Weather: Less Rain, More Sun and New Heat Records

Berlin and Brandenburg experienced a summer of record heat, sparse rainfall and abundant sunshine, according to preliminary figures from the German Weather Service.

Berlin’s average temperature reached 20.0°C, or 2.2°C above the long-term average. The exceptionally hot June shaped the season, with temperatures at Berlin Brandenburg Airport reaching 40.3°C on June 28, a new record for the capital. The city recorded about 19 days at 30°C or higher and four days at 35°C or higher.

Brandenburg was even hotter at its peak. Temperatures in Coschen, in the Oder-Spree district, reached 41.7°C on June 28, the highest temperature recorded in the state, according to the weather service. The state averaged 19.5°C, also 2.2°C above normal, and recorded about 18 hot days and more than four very hot days.

Rainfall fell well below usual levels. Berlin received about 147 liters per square meter, just 81% of its normal summer precipitation. Brandenburg received 138 liters, or 78% of its long-term average. The dryness contributed to parched soil, low water levels and a higher wildfire risk nationwide.

The season also brought severe local storms, including a tornado that passed through Fürstenwalde on August 19. Sunshine totals reached about 756 hours in Berlin and 747 hours in Brandenburg. Across Germany, the summer averaged 19.6°C and was expected to rank as the second warmest since records began in 1881, behind the 2003 summer.