High temperatures, tropical nights and storms: expect some pretty extreme weather in Germany this weekend as July ends with a mini heatwave. 

July in Germany ends with a mini heatwave

A far too dry July will blow itself out with a short but intensive heat wave. “Especially in the southwest, the dog days temporarily live up to their name,” said Jens Bonewitz of the German Weather Service (DWD). In Europe, the days between July 23 and August 23 are generally the hottest. 

The sun will shine brightly throughout Friday, said Bonewitz, with only a few cloudy patches over the Black Forest and the Alps. In the southwest, temperatures are expected to hit 37 to 38 degrees in some areas, particularly in the Rhine region. 

With the exception of the north and the northeast, the thermometer will climb above 30 degrees across the whole country, and in some areas significantly higher. Along the coast, it’s expected to be a balmy 21 degrees. “The heat load is quite strong and the following tropical night does the rest,” said Bonewitz. We speak of tropical nights when the temperature does not drop below 20 degrees. 

Saturday also hot in southwestern Germany, but next week cooler

It will also be hot on Saturday, where the temperature could once again climb up to the 38 degree-mark in the south and southwest of Germany. But it’s not going to stay sticky for long: by Sunday, a western current will bring a bank of cooler air and the 30-degree mark will likely only be topped in the eastern parts of Germany. 

The risk of showers and thunderstorms increases significantly as Saturday fades into Sunday, and the new week will start at cooler, much more manageable, temperatures, between 22 and 27 degrees.