Status: 07/20/2022 00:27
With 40 degrees measured in Emsdetten in North Rhine-Westphalia, Tuesday was the hottest day of the year, at least for the time being. The heat is a problem especially for old and weak people.
A new German temperature record is expected to be reached in 2022. As the ARD-Wetterkompetenzzentrum reported, 40 degrees were measured in Emsdetten in North Rhine-Westphalia. The German Weather Service had previously given a station in Duisburg-Baerl as the preliminary leader with 39.3 degrees. It is possible that even higher dates will be reported later.
The previous record for this year was 39.2 degrees and was set exactly four weeks ago, on June 19th. According to the DWD, the heat record in Germany is 41.2 degrees – measured on July 25, 2019 in Duisburg.
Meteorologist: consequence of global warming
The heat is a consequence of climate change, says DWD spokesman Andreas Friedrich. “Since the famous ‘summer of the century’ in 2003, we haven’t experienced 40 degrees every year, but more and more often.” Due to the global warming that has already occurred, such heat waves with temperatures above 30 degrees have become more intense and frequent. “You can read this clear connection from the data,” says Friedrich.
The peak of the current heat wave should already be reached on Tuesday. Over the course of the week, the heat is expected to shift from the west and southwest to the north and northeast. The reason for the current midsummer weather is a high over Central Europe, which is slowly moving eastwards and is bringing increasingly hot air of subtropical origin from the southwest. The DWD speaks of a “strong heat load”. Especially weaker people are likely to feel this.
VdK calls for a heat protection plan for nursing homes
In view of the heat-related danger for those in need of care, the social association VdK called for a heat protection plan with comprehensive specifications for nursing homes. “We urgently need a crisis concept for heat events, which are particularly stressful for people in nursing homes and hospitals,” said VdK President Verena Bentele to the editorial network Germany. “A heat action plan is needed, with comprehensive specifications for care providers: from storing medicines to structural measures such as installing thermal windows and shading systems.”
The VdK boss also called for an information campaign for caring relatives: “Those cared for at home must not be forgotten,” she said. “An information campaign must point out the dangers to you and caring relatives and how you can protect yourself effectively.” Bentele warned that the current heat wave could be life-threatening, especially for the elderly, those in need of care and the chronically ill.
Heat wave in Germany with record temperatures
Eva Macht, SWR, daily news at 8:00 p.m., July 19, 2022
Marburger Bund for heat protection plan
The Marburger Bund medical association called for a national heat protection plan and a heat awareness campaign. “Politicians must significantly expand their efforts for protective measures in heat phases,” said the chairwoman Susanne Johna, also the editorial network Germany.
Cities and municipalities need heat protection plans so that senior citizens’ facilities, hospitals and other healthcare facilities can better prepare for heat waves, “best regulated by a national heat protection plan”.
Ver.di calls for heat-free
The trade union ver.di called for heat-free and longer breaks for employees. Even if there is no legal entitlement to this, arrangements should be made in consultation with the works council as to when canceled working hours can be made up for if necessary, said the head of the policy department for collective bargaining, Norbert Reuter, of the editorial network Germany.
High risk of forest fires in many federal states
Forest fires are also a problem in severe drought. In ten out of 16 federal states, the highest forest fire warning level applies, at least in some areas: in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Hesse, Berlin, Rhineland-Palatinate and Lower Saxony.
The Bavarian Minister of Forestry, Michaela Kaniber, called on all visitors to the forest to be particularly careful: “The current heat wave and the prevailing drought are causing the forest floors in many places to be covered with dried-up, easily inflammable leaves, twigs and needles. Even a carelessly discarded one A cigarette butt is enough to start a serious forest fire.”
High temperatures in western and southern Europe
People also suffer from the heat in other parts of Europe. In the UK, temperatures rose above 40 degrees for the first time.
In many places in southern Europe, fire brigades are fighting forest and bush fires. Civil protection in Sicily declared the highest risk level for forest fires in some areas. Also in parts Spain, Portugal and France Does it burn.