According to preliminary data from the DWD, Saarbrücken-Burbach was the warmest in Germany during the day at 37.5 degrees.Image: www.imago-images.de
Extreme weather
June 21, 2026, 03:41June 21, 2026, 03:41
Oppressive heat here, strong thunderstorms there: At the beginning of summer, the weather in Germany shows two faces. There is a threat of strong thunderstorms in parts of the country today, some with a risk of severe weather, as the German Weather Service (DWD) announced in the evening.
The experts in the west had already warned of more frequent thunderstorms with heavy rain of 20 liters per square meter in a short period of time, small-grain hail and stormy gusts of up to 70 km/h for Sunday night. On Sunday morning the thunderstorms are expected to move from the west to the center. From midday onwards, the DWD expects more frequent thunderstorms with heavy rain, hailstones up to three centimeters in size and hurricane-like gusts with speeds of around 100 kilometers per hour, especially in the eastern center.
37.5 degrees in Saarbrücken-Burbach
In the rest of Germany, the heat will continue for the time being: temperatures between 32 and 39 degrees are expected until Wednesday, especially in the center and south. According to preliminary data from the DWD, Saarbrücken-Burbach was the warmest in Germany during the day at 37.5 degrees. The DWD also warns of strong and sometimes extreme heat stress. According to DWD meteorologist Christian Herold, it is still uncertain whether record temperatures of more than 40 degrees will be reached in the southwest in the coming days. The DWD has issued an official heat warning for large parts of the country, which applies from Saturday 11 a.m. to Sunday 9 p.m.
Thunderstorms, storms and heat were already showing their first signs at the weekend. Nine people were injured in a lightning strike during a sports festival in Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg on Saturday, including a young woman in her early 20s who suffered serious injuries. In Moormerland, East Frisia, a tent camp with around 300 children had to be evacuated due to a storm. A festival south of Flensburg with around 5,000 visitors was evacuated. 13 people suffered minor injuries in the storm. There was heat-related road damage in other parts of the country, including on the A13 in Brandenburg and the A1 in Schleswig-Holstein.
Highest warning level in Paris, forest fire in Greece
People in the rest of Europe are also groaning under the high temperatures. In France, the weather service Météo France imposed the highest or second highest warning level for almost the entire country on Sunday – with expected peak temperatures between 38 and 41 degrees. The highest warning level, red, applies to 35 departments, including Paris.
In Greece, the fire brigade on the island of Euboea fought the first major forest fire of the year on Saturday: 120 emergency services, 35 fire engines, seven helicopters and eight aircraft were in action. Strong winds drove the flames near the towns of Mesochoria and Raptei; two towns were evacuated as a precaution.
In Spain, the state weather service expects temperatures of 40 degrees in large parts of Andalusia on Sunday. There and in other areas of the country such as the south of Mallorca, where it could reach 39 degrees, the second highest warning level, orange, was declared. In parts of the Basque Country, which is less adapted to hot weather, the highest red alert level has even been triggered. (sda/dpa)