The peak of the year's heat has passed
The time for scorching summer temperatures, usually referred to as 'dog days', has drawn to a close. Since no additional heatwave is predicted, the recent days might have been the hottest of the entire year.
This year, the heat took its sweet time to arrive. It wasn't until August 9 that we started feeling the warmth, with the mercury rising above 30 degrees in the southwest. The sweltering temperatures reached 36.5 degrees in Bad Ahrweiler/Neuenahr (Rhineland-Palatinate), 36.3 degrees in Waghaeusel-Kirrlach (Bavaria), and 36.2 degrees in both Ennigerloh-Ostenfeld (NRW) and Andernach (Rhineland-Palatinate). The spell of heatwave ended on August 17, with temperatures as high as 32 degrees in Saxony and Lusatia.
The chilly nights, the coolest of the year, also earned a top spot in the annual chart. Essen-Bredeney recorded a temperature of 24.4 degrees.
Up until August 2024, temperatures have been remarkably high. The current monthly average stands at a staggering 20.5 degrees, closely matching the record-breaking August of 2003, which saw an average temperature of 20.54 degrees.
However, it seems unlikely that this year will surpass the historical highs, and we can anticipate cooler temperatures and improved ventilation in the latter part of the month. This positive change is due to the influence of the North Sea low "Rebecca" and low "Susanne", which is bringing cooler winds and temperatures around 20 to 30 degrees during the day, and as low as 15 to 8 degrees during the night. Here's a breakdown.
Monday and Tuesday: High "Nikolas" inbound
After a damp and wet night in the southeast, Monday is expected to be rainy in the south. However, the situation looks promising as high "Nikolas" trail the front of low "Susanne". The mercury will hover between 18 degrees at the Alps and 26 degrees along the Rhine on Monday. Temperatures are expected to rise between 23 and 29 degrees on Tuesday.
Wednesday and Thursday: Northern winds persist
Wednesday will be marked by stronger winds and lingering unsettled conditions in the north, which will intensify into stormy weather on Thursday. The rest of the week will be mainly sunny and dry, with pleasant temperatures. On Wednesday, the mercury will fluctuate between 18 and 26 degrees, while on Thursday, temperatures are expected to be between 22 and 28 degrees.
Friday and the weekend: Unpredictability kicks in
The weather forecasts are still undecided about the trajectory for the later part of the week and the remainder of the month. But summer enthusiasts in the southeast can still hold on to hope, especially on Saturday, which could be the highlight with temperatures ranging from 22 to 32 degrees. The weekend will turn out to be less warm and more unstable.
Despite the high temperatures experienced throughout August, the European Union was not exempt from the anticipated cooling trend. The influence of the North Sea low "Rebecca" and low "Susanne" is expected to bring cooler winds and temperatures to various European Union countries in the latter part of the month.
