- The August of 2024 in North Rhine-Westphalia was harsh and excessively scorching.
The 2024 North Rhine-Westphalia summer wasn't your typical summer delight, being excessively hot and somewhat wet. This is suggested by the initial findings of the German Weather Service (DWD) located in Offenbach. The average temperature in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) was a warm 18 degrees, falling slightly short of the nationwide average of 18.5 degrees, but still a considerable 1.7 degrees higher than the established reference period from 1961 to 1990 (16.3 degrees). This provides researchers with an insight into long-term climate change.
Initially, the June chill hampered the summer's commencement, as per the meteorologists. However, temperatures ascended significantly multiple times afterwards. During mid-August, some temperature gauges soared beyond 35 degrees. Given the abundance of sunlight, it's no surprise that between June and August, South Rhine-Westphalia recorded 650 hours of sunlight - exceeding the usual average (554 hours).
Definitely not a summer idyll: frequent downpours in June, July, and August.
Concurrently, the weather along the Rhine and Weser was marked by recurring, sometimes thunderous rainfall, as reported further by the DWD. In total, this contributed to an average rainfall of 257 liters per square meter, barely surpassing the common standard. For reference, the reference period 1961 to 1990 lists the long-term average as 240 liters per square meter.
The rainfall also came down in heavy showers and was accompanied locally by strong storms: in some areas, cellars flooded and streets were inundated. During the European Football Championship, certain public viewings succumbed to approaching storms. Throughout July, several tornadoes swept by during a storm and left damage in Münsterland.
To formulate the preliminary balance, the German Weather Service employs data from its approximately 2000 monitoring stations throughout Germany.
Despite the summer's challenges in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany still experienced above-average temperatures, with an average of 18 degrees. This was marginally lower than the nationwide average but significantly higher than the reference period from 1961 to 1990.
Despite the excessive heat and occasional rain in parts of Germany, including North Rhine-Westphalia, certain areas along the Rhine and Weser reported heavy rainfall and local storms, leading to flooded cellars and inundated streets.
