Germany’s national temperature record has been shattered once more. According to confirmation from the German Meteorological Service (DWD), the thermometer reached 41.7 degrees Celsius at 3:10 p.m. at the Neißemünde-Coschen measuring station, located in the Oder-Spree district of Brandenburg.
Meteorologists indicate that this peak figure could potentially be surpassed before the end of the day. A definitive reading on the new German temperature record will only be confirmed around 7 p.m. this evening. Germany has seen a series of new records set since the start of these measurements, with the previous high being recorded just this past Saturday in Möckern-Drewitz, Saxony-Anhalt.
The DWD also noted that the night leading into Sunday was the warmest since records began, with temperatures hitting 29.4 degrees in Kubschütz, Saxony. The ongoing heat is creating significant risks, not only to public health but also causing physical infrastructure damage. Due to the extreme heat, asphalt has burst open on several major motorways, including parts of the A2. While the stretch of the A2 near Burg in Saxony-Anhalt has reopened, other sections in Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt remain closed to traffic, with officials advising drivers to avoid the route. In Leipzig, the intense heat even caused asphalt to melt directly over tram tracks.
Amidst the severe heatwave, Caritas president Eva Maria Welskop-Deffaa has issued a call for more churches to open their doors to the public as designated cooling centers. Welskop-Deffaa told the Bild newspaper that while many houses of worship are already providing refuge, it remains insufficient and more sites should be made available.
The meteorological service expects this intense weekend heat to break with the arrival of storms on Sunday evening. Forecasts point to significantly cooler temperatures by Monday, with maximums expected to reach between 25 and 29 degrees in most regions, though local pockets in the east and south-east of Germany could still see highs of up to 32 degrees.
