Exploring the Past: A Glimpse into the Era of 30 Degrees Temperature
Article Rewrite:
Summer Heatwaves: Myth or Reality?
Let's talk about the controversial topic of summer heatwaves in Germany. With this year's first heatwave promising temperatures soaring up to 35 degrees Celsius, it's easy to assume these temperatures were common in the past. But is that true?
Berlin, the bustling heart of Germany, is bracing for its first heatwave of the year. The German Weather Service (DWD) advises avoiding outdoor activities during peak sun hours due to the anticipated scorching heat.
However, it's not uncommon to hear people argue that these high temperatures are old hat—something that was completely normal in the summers of the '70s and '80s. They believe these temperatures occurred frequently between May and September. However, our memories can sometimes deceive us, possibly because we tend to remember notable events more vividly.
Further reading:
- DWD Heat Warning Heat warning in southern Germany: DWD reports up to 35 degrees Celsius in the southwest
- AfD Bans Alone Don't Save Democracy
- Consequences of Climate Change Why the North and Baltic Seas are heating up more and more
Heatwaves in the 1970s and 1980s: A Mirage?
For the DWD, a "heat day" or "hot day" is when the maximum air temperature exceeds 30 degrees Celsius. According to their weather data, there were very few heat days in most summers of the 1970s and '80s across Germany, with only a handful in 1970 (2.0), 1977 (1.3), 1980 (1.5), and 1987 (1.6).
To truly comprehend the trajectory of heatwaves, we need to examine weather patterns over several decades. Thankfully, the DWD has data for this too.
The Big Picture
There were an average of 8.9 heat days per summer in Germany between 1991 and 2020, compared to just around half that number in the previous period (1961 to 1990): Only 4.2 hot days were recorded on average per year during that time.
This trend becomes even more apparent when we consider the number of summers with more than ten heat days. Over the 50 summers before the year 2000, this was only the case three times: 1976 (10.2), 1994 (16.3), and 1995 (10.5). The lowest number to date is 1956 with 0.6 hot days across Germany.
On the other hand, there have been eleven summers with more than ten heat days in the 25 years since the turn of the millennium, with most of them occurring in recent years. The highest number is 2018 with 20.4 hot days, followed by 2024 with 12.5.
This shows a clear upward trend in the number of hot days in Germany, signaling a warming climate.
So, were summer heatwaves really more common in the '70s and '80s, or is it just our memories playing a trick on us? The data suggests it may be the latter.
Science indicates that the '70s and '80s had fewer heatwaves compared to recent years in Germany, as revealed by data from the German Weather Service (DWD). The average number of heat days per summer increased from 4.2 in the 1961-1990 period to 8.9 in the 1991-2020 period, with more summers experiencing over ten heat days since the turn of the millennium. This trend is indicative of climate change and challenges the assumption that heatwaves were common in the past.
Environmental science research suggests that climate change contributes to the heating up of the North and Baltic Seas, which aligns with the increased frequency of heatwaves observed in Germany.
Recent advancements in health-and-wellness and therapies-and-treatments may offer protection against the harmful effects of excessive heat, such as heat stroke and dehydration, during heatwaves. It's vital for individuals to stay informed about climate change and adjust their lifestyles to mitigate risks during extreme weather events.
