Germany braces for record temperatures as heatwave moves east

Germans prepared for extreme heat on Saturday as a heatwave, which has been linked to numerous deaths across Western Europe, was forecast to move eastward after temperatures exceeded 40 °C.

Britain, France, Switzerland and Germany have each set June heat records, and the weather system is expected to push further records as it moves from Germany toward Poland.

On Friday, a new German temperature record of 41.3 °C was recorded near Saarbrücken, close to the French border, according to a spokesperson for the nation’s meteorological service, though the figure remains preliminary.

In France, dozens of people, both young and old, have died during the heatwave; temperatures above 40 °C have disrupted rail services, forced alcohol bans, caused school closures and postponed outdoor events.

Karsten Brandt, a meteorologist at the forecasting site Donnerwetter.de, said the heatwave will peak over the weekend with temperatures exceeding 40 °C in parts of Germany.

Organisers of the Sunday Ironman European Championship long‑distance triathlon in Frankfurt shortened the cycling and running segments because of the extreme heat.

Facing potential damage to infrastructure such as buckled roads and expanded train tracks, several major public service providers have sought to reduce traffic.

Free cancellations to reduce rail travel

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn is offering customers the ability to cancel long‑distance bookings made for early next week without any charge, owing to the heatwave.

The company said its infrastructure is under significant strain from intense sun exposure and added risks to signals, tracks and overhead wires caused by thunderstorms and wildfires.

Parts of Germany, especially in the southwest, have already seen a considerably hotter June than usual.

The most extreme heat is expected to subside by the weekend, with heavy thunderstorms forecast for Sunday.

Across Europe, cultural landmarks have closed, agriculture has suffered, and some hospitals have struggled to cope.

The heatwave has driven temperatures up to 18 °C above their seasonal average, according to the Reuters Climate Monitor, and is being driven by an Omega block.

This weather pattern traps a large mass of hot air over regions for extended periods, with cooler air surrounding its edges.

Demand for electric fans has surged, and Asian air‑conditioning manufacturers have reported a boom in European sales.

Much of the housing stock in Northern Europe was designed to retain heat rather than mitigate it.

The current heatwave is expected to shift by the end of the month, affecting Central Europe and the Balkans, the World Meteorological Organization said.

Scientists said the heatwave would have been virtually impossible without human‑made climate change, which has made this week’s nighttime temperatures 100 times more likely than they would have been two decades ago.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)

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