DWD issues heat and severe thunderstorm warnings across Germany

The German Weather Service (DWD) has issued official heat warnings for large parts of central and southern Germany, alongside severe thunderstorm alerts for several regions including Bavaria, Berlin, and Brandenburg. The DWD, a federal authority based in Offenbach am Main, forecasts a felt temperature above 32 degrees Celsius at midday in affected areas. In southeastern Germany, temperatures could reach 39 degrees. The agency also warns of hurricane-force gusts and heavy rain, with squalls of around 70 km/h and hail expected in Berlin and Brandenburg from Saturday morning. The warnings come as Bavaria enters its first week of school holidays under extreme heat. The DWD cautions that where rain does not fall, drought could become a hazard, while the storms that do arrive risk local flooding and damage from lightning and hail.

DWD warns of heat, then thunderstorms and hurricane-force gusts

The German Weather Service has issued overlapping warnings for extreme heat and severe thunderstorms across large parts of the country. According to the DWD, an official heat warning applies mainly to central and southern regions, where the perceived temperature at midday is forecast to exceed 32 degrees. In Bavaria, the agency warned of extreme heat stress on Monday and Tuesday as the state’s school holidays began. By afternoon and evening, the DWD said, heat thunderstorms were possible. For Berlin and Brandenburg, the DWD reported heavy rain, squalls of around 70 km/h, and hail on Saturday morning. In parts of Lower Saxony, the agency predicted hurricane-force gusts and heavy rain from Thursday afternoon, following heat records.

1. Samstagvormittag

   Unwetterwarnung für Berlin und Brandenburg

2. Montag und Dienstag

   DWD warnt vor extremer Wärmebelastung in Bayern

3. Montag

   Ab Montag werden 38 Grad erwartet (Berlin/Brandenburg)

4. Montag

   Bayern startet mit starker Hitze in die erste Ferienwoche

5. Montag und Dienstag

   Am Nachmittag und Abend sind Hitzegewitter möglich

6. Mittag (kein genaues Datum genannt)

   Gefühlte Temperatur von mehr als 32 Grad in der Mitte und im Süden Deutschlands

7. Donnerstag Nachmittag (kein genaues Dat/

   DWD sagt orkanartige Böen und Starkregen in Teilen Niedersachsens voraus

Temperatures up to 39°C forecast in the southeast

The DWD has forecast temperatures up to 39 degrees Celsius for southeastern Germany, according to the agency. Bavaria is entering the first week of its school holidays with intense heat, the DWD said. The agency issued an official heat warning for large parts of the country, with regions in the centre and south most affected. For midday, a perceived temperature of more than 32 degrees Celsius is predicted there. From Monday, temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius are expected in Berlin and Brandenburg. The DWD warned of extreme heat load on Monday and Tuesday in Bavaria. Hot and humid conditions could give way to thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, the agency said. Where rain does not fall, dryness could become a hazard.

Heavy rain, hail, and hurricane-force winds expected

The DWD warned of hurricane-force gusts and heavy rain in parts of Lower Saxony from Thursday afternoon, according to the agency. The forecast followed heat records, the DWD said.

For Berlin and Brandenburg, the DWD reported heavy rain, squalls around 70 km/h, and hail for Saturday morning. The agency issued an official severe weather warning for heavy thunderstorms for Cottbus and several surrounding districts. That warning included lightning, hail, and flooding.

In parts of Bavaria, the DWD warned of severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, hail, and squalls. The agency said the warnings for strong thunderstorms and severe weather mentioned hurricane-force gusts.

The national meteorological service issuing the warnings

The warnings come from the Deutscher Wetterdienst, Germany’s national meteorological service. The DWD is a federal authority based in Offenbach am Main, in the state of Hesse. It operates as a partially legally independent public-law institution within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Transport. As the country’s civilian weather service, the DWD provides meteorological services for the public, for aviation, and for maritime and agricultural sectors. Its official warnings carry legal weight, triggering responses from local emergency services and infrastructure operators. The agency’s status as a federal authority means its alerts are the standard for official weather risk communication across all 16 German states.

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