The German Weather Service (DWD) reported a preliminary all-time record of 39.6 degrees Celsius in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, measured in Anklam. In Schleswig-Holstein, Grambek recorded 39.2 degrees, a new high for the state. In Lüchow, Lower Saxony, the thermometer hit 40.2 degrees, also an absolute record. Hamburg saw its hottest June day since records began with 39.4 degrees at the Neuwiedenthal station.
On Saturday evening, the DWD issued a severe weather warning: overnight, heavy thunderstorms with up to 50 liters of rain per square meter, wind gusts of force 11 and 12, and hailstones up to four centimeters in diameter are possible. The warning applies to the entire north until Sunday evening. In Schleswig-Holstein, extreme thunderstorms with hail and lightning had already moved across the Flensburg Fjord in the afternoon.
Hamburg’s fire department recorded more than 1,000 callouts by late afternoon – significantly more than usual. Emergency medical care remains assured, a spokesperson said. The extreme heat also led to train service restrictions: after Deutsche Bahn, Metronom also urged passengers to avoid non-essential travel on Saturday. Air conditioning systems in trains reached their limits.
Several events were canceled, including the Hamburg Half Marathon and the Harley-Days parade. The first race day of the Galopp Derby in Hamburg-Horn was postponed to Wednesday. Beaches on the North and Baltic Seas were overcrowded despite the heat, lifeguards warned. NDR meteorologist Wache explained that the water temperature of 21 degrees Celsius is already unusually high for June, so cooling off is only limited.
Source: www.ndr.de
