- Experiencing Summer in Thuringia was characterized by an excessively harsh warmth and unpleasant bitterness.
This past summer in Thuringia was characterized by extensive heat and powerful storms, as indicated by the preliminary report from the German Weather Service (DWD) situated in Offenbach. Consequently, the state's average temperature settled at 18.4°C, which is a significant 2.6°C higher than the typical reference period of 1961 to 1990 (15.8°C).
August specifically brought scorching temperatures. The sweltering peak was reached on August 13th in Jena, clocking in at a scorching 35.4°C. With an abundance of sunshine, Thuringia boasted 735 hours of sun this summer, a considerable jump from the standard long-term average of 592 hours.
Despite the heatwave, potent thunderstorms also stomped across the region. In the mid of June, a supercell encountered southern Thuringia, leaving golf ball-sized hailstones in its wake. Hefty rainfall was also experienced, with an astounding 115 liters of rain falling per square meter in less than a dozen hours in the southern Harz region at the start of August. On average, Thuringia absorbed 210 liters per square meter, consistent with the long-term average of the reference period from 1961 to 1990.
Germany as a whole endured a scorching summer, too. The average temperature was 18.5°C, which is a notable 2.2°C higher than the reference period of 1961 to 1990. Although 2024 wasn't a record-breaker, it was the 28th straight warm summer, according to the DWD. The preliminary report is drawn from data gathered from the DWD's almost 2,000 monitoring stations that blanket Germany.
The thunderous storms in Thuringia during the summer included heavy rainfall, with an astounding 115 liters falling per square meter in less than a dozen hours in the southern Harz region. Despite the overall heatwave, Thuringia's rainfall this summer averaged 210 liters per square meter, which is consistent with the long-term average from 1961 to 1990.
