Overview

• Weather models project daily highs of 35–42 °C beginning June 28 and peaking around July 1–2, marking one of the earliest and most intense heatwaves on record for Germany.
• The event is fueled by a vast high-pressure ridge stretching from Portugal to Greece that channels Saharan air northward over Central Europe.
• The German Weather Service has issued heat advisories nationwide and elevated fire warnings to the highest alert level in parts of eastern Germany.
• Forecasts diverge on the wave’s duration, with some models predicting an abrupt cooldown by early July and others projecting only moderate relief midweek.
• Extended drought has driven soil moisture and fire indices to critical levels, and meteorologists are monitoring Saharan dust transport for its potential to temper peak temperatures.