Springtime weather is forecast to heat Germany up as the week goes on. A gust of Saharan dust is also due to reach central Europe on Friday, March 7.
Meteorological spring has begun, and warmer weather has been forecast for Germany. Starting on March 5, temperatures will begin climbing across the country; 14 to 15 degrees celsius has been forecast for western and southern states, 12 to 13 degrees for eastern and northern states.
Moving into Thursday, the German Weather Service (DWD) has forecast 16 degrees for Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg, Bremen, Frankfurt and Nuremberg. Those in Saarbrücken and Stuttgart can expect 17 degrees, while those in Cologne can enjoy 18-degree warmth.
Temperatures will heat up further into the weekend. The DWD has forecast 20 degrees for Cologne and between 17 and 18 degrees for most cities on Friday.
We will also see the first wave of Saharan dust reach Germany this week. The fine dust from Northern Africa can sometimes be carried high into the atmosphere before falling several thousand kilometres away.
Thanks to the warm southerly winds, dust is set to spread across Central Europe for several days starting on Friday, though its arrival time may change as more accurate forecasts are made.
As a result of the dust, the once-blue skies will likely be given a milky hue during the day, and while it is difficult to predict, the sky may even appear orange in colour around dawn and dusk. Saharan dust comes to Germany around 15 times per year, according to ARD, mostly in the spring and autumn.
The dust is typically made up of aluminosilicates, quartz and iron oxides and can be irritating for those with asthma or allergies. If Saharan dust coincides with rainfall, it can result in so-called “blood rain”. Thanks to the combination of dust and water, the rain that falls can appear reddish in colour.
In Germany, Saharan dust is rarely bright enough for blood rain to leave much trace apart from on vehicles and windows. In the case of blood rain, drivers should be careful when washing their cars, as the dust remnants on the vehicle could scratch the paint.
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