The German Meteorological Service (DWD) once again warned of extreme heat throughout Saturday weekend. On Saturday, the DWD website spread the heat warning in the belt from Saarbrücken to the eastern border of Brandenburg and Saxony. The UV warning was issued throughout the area except the north. Meteorologists talked about the “hot North African air” that came to us.
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According to the DWD, values of around 35 degrees were measured in a wide strip from the southwest to eastern Saxony. It remained below the 30-degree mark, especially in the North and Baltic Seas, in higher altitudes and in south-eastern Bavaria.
At noon, for example, Pforzheim in Baden-Württemberg recorded a higher temperature than Palma de Mallorca. The dreaded record values of more than 38 degrees have not been fulfilled. According to DWD expert Tobias Reinartz, it was considered that it was not so extreme on Saturday that the hot air also brought Saharan dust to Germany, which somewhat shaded the sun’s rays.
The weather attracted many on the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The railroad reported full trains to the Baltic Sea. The nine-euro ticket is popular and regional trains in tourist regions are especially busy, the spokesman said. The land on the Baltic Sea is ideal for people sensitive to heat: In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, it is very tolerable 22 to 25 degrees, according to meteorologist Stefan Kreibohm from the Hiddensee meteorological studio.
Also in Brandenburg, the DWD expected maximum values between 33 and 36 degrees in Berlin and in the south of the country in Berlin. On Sunday nights, severe thunderstorms may occur in some places. The risk of forest fires due to persistent drought is great.
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With regard to the expected temperatures, the meteorological service issued an official heat warning for Berlin and parts of Brandenburg. In addition, experts have pointed out in many places the unusually high level of UV radiation and the need for appropriate protective measures.
Additional burdens are to be expected due to reduced night cooling, especially in densely populated urban areas, according to heat warnings for Berlin and Potsdam, for example. Before the Midsummer weekend, experts also warned of the dangers of swimming in unguarded waters and warned of a particularly high risk of forest fires. In Frohnsdorf near Treuenbrietzen in the district of Potsdam-Mittelmark, firefighters, police, the armed forces and technical assistance organizations intervened on a large fire on Friday.
With the heat and temperatures up to around 35 degrees, Saxony-Anhalt could experience the warmest on June 18 since the start of weather measurements. In Bavaria, the DWD recommended “chilled drinks and shade” at maximum temperatures of around 37 degrees. Especially in Lower Franconia, temperatures could rise to local record highs for June, a DWD spokesman said.
The situation in Baden-Württemberg also speaks for the trip to the swimming pool: temperatures of up to 37 degrees from Kurpfalz to Breisgau were predicted by DWD on Saturday. The Rhine and Tauber are likely to be followed by a tropical night with low temperatures just above 20 degrees, as meteorologists predicted. It will be colder only in some river meadows with 14 degrees, than the sun on Sunday will give it full light again and people will sweat again.
Sunny and “hot to very hot” Saturdays were also in North Rhine-Westphalia. DWD reported in the morning that maximum temperatures should rise to 31 to 34 degrees during the day. Around 36 degrees can be expected locally in Cologne Bay.
Strong sun causes cracks in Düsseldorf’s apartment building
Outdoor swimming pools have experienced a rush: An Agrippabad employee in Cologne said that about twice as many electronic tickets were already sold at noon than usual during this period. Ticket vending machines even had to stop at the Langenfeld outdoor pool near Düsseldorf on Saturday afternoon.
In Düsseldorf, strong sunlight probably led to cracks in the masonry of the staircase in the apartment building. The house was temporarily evacuated, firefighters said on Saturday.
The residents noticed the rift and called the fire department. According to the structural engineer, the cause of the damage was the fact that due to strong sunlight, the steel beams in the masonry stretched, which “due to the age of the house, they were partially exposed”.
Firefighters found glass blocks at the back of the house in the stairwell. Due to the fact that the basic construction of the walls proved to be stable and the flats were not affected, all residents were able to return to the house.
Hot as a health risk: who needs to be especially careful now?
High temperatures are not harmless. The State Pharmacy Chamber of Hessen warns of sunburn, hay fever and circulatory problems. People should drink plenty of fluids and avoid exercise in the heat.
According to the Ministry of Health in Wiesbaden, virtually everyone is affected by the heat. However, young children, the elderly and the chronically ill are particularly at risk.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach warned to keep an eye on older people. The SPD politician wrote on Twitter: “Please make sure that older people in particular drink enough today. They often feel less thirsty than good for their body. Heat and lack of fluids can be fatal for seniors. Today, he asks us to pay attention to the elderly and the disabled. ”The Robert Koch Institute also spoke about heat as a health risk.
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Meteorologist Andreas Matzarakis sees the action plans for the heat in Germany as a good basis for the reaction. “Implementation is, of course, within the competence of cities and municipalities, regional councils and districts. And they are often not informed and prepared, “said Matzarakis of the” Badische Zeitung “in Freiburg. If you see a heat wave coming, you have to explain, “Drink a lot, avoid the sun, limit your activities.”
The first strong thunderstorms are expected on Sunday night. According to the DWD, wind gusts of 95 kilometers per hour, as well as hail and heavy rains, could occur locally in northern Germany and later in the day in central Germany.
On Sundays, local showers and thunderstorms may occur during the day, and adverse weather conditions cannot be ruled out. Temperatures should therefore climb to 25 to 30 degrees in the north of Brandenburg and 33 to 38 degrees in the south of Brandenburg and in Berlin.
According to scientists, the increase in heat waves and drought is a direct consequence of global warming. The intensity and duration and frequency of these phenomena are increasing. (dpa, AFP)