Overview
- The summer of 2026 produced exceptional heat and drought with hundreds of stations reporting new seasonal records, including 244 of 488 evaluated sites recording new highs for hot days.
- Recent severe storms prompted Deutscher Wetterdienst warnings and produced at least three confirmed tornadoes that caused local structural damage and injuries.
- Short‑range forecasts show alternating storms and heavy rain this weekend followed by a likely rebound of strong heat late in August, with some model runs and the DWD projecting regional highs near 30°C and isolated runs up to the mid‑30s.
- Hydrological experts warn that very dry, compacted soils reduce infiltration so intense local downpours are more likely to run off quickly and trigger flash floods even as they relieve drought in other areas.
- Medium‑range models remain split for September–October between a sustained block‑high scenario that would deliver a warm, dry 'golden' autumn and an Atlantic resurgence that would bring cooler, wetter conditions, a divergence that matters for agriculture, water supply and wildfire risk.