Could the year 2024 potentially bring about a summer of dreams?
Sizzling summer starts, Siebenschläfer-Day kicks off
The German climate is now experiencing a prolonged spell of hot, sunny weather, something rarely seen before. This delightful day, June 27, marks the beginning of our fabulous 'Siebenschläfer-Day'. And guess what? The farmers' saying comes true yet again: the weather in the seven weeks following Siebenschläfer-Day is expected to mirror the conditions on that day.
The old farmers' prediction stuck
This means the weather scenario from June 27 to July 8 is likely to persist for a while. In southern Germany, the prediction holds true around 70-80% of the time, whereas in northern regions, there's a 60% possibility.
Dreamy summer or commotion? Time will tell
A 70-80% chance of a great summer? Sign us up! But nothing's set in stone yet. The forecast for July 2 indicates a series of intense thunderstorms sweeping through central Germany. So, let's see if the Siebenschläfer-Rule continues to hold. Seven weeks of showers and thunderstorms? We may want to reconsider that.
July outlook not so sunny
It seems like July's weather will be unpredictable. Both NOAA's prediction models and wetter.de-Trends, based on the European Weather Model, suggest a changeable high-summer month. That translates to fewer heatwaves and droughts, and more dynamic air mass exchange and weather systems instead.
No connection with actual hedgehogs
Contrary to popular belief, the Siebenschläfer-Day isn't named after the cute furry creature we all love, the hedgehog. It sleeps for approximately seven months in winter, not one day. The Siebenschläfer-Day takes its name from an old legend about seven sleeping brothers who escaped Christian persecution and slept for a hundred years in a cave. They emerged from their slumber on June 27, although the actual date shifted by several days after the Gregorian calendar reform in 1582, making the Siebenschläfer-Day fall on July 7 or 8.
