February Heat Records in Europe: Temperatures Approach Historical Highs

The current weather situation in Europe represents a sharp reversal from the conditions prevailing at the beginning of 2026. After seven weeks of intense rainfall and floods, a powerful subtropical high-pressure system moved over the continent. It brought a mass of exceptionally warm air that stretches from the Iberian Peninsula, through France and Italy, to the British Isles and Germany. In Spain and France, the first values exceeding 29 degrees Celsius have already been recorded, which is an extreme phenomenon in February. In Germany, particular attention is focused on the southwestern part of the country, mainly in the Upper Rhine basin and in Breisgau. According to forecasts by Deutscher Wetterdienst, thermometers there could indicate up to 23 degrees Celsius. This would mean approaching the record from 1900, when 23.1 degrees were recorded in Jena. Meteorologists emphasize that such strong pulses of air masses from the south have become increasingly frequent in recent years, fitting into the observed trend of climate change. Historically, February in Central Europe was associated with frost and snow cover. The heat record for this month in Germany, set 124 years ago, remains one of the oldest unbroken weather records in the region.However, the sudden warming has negative consequences for public health and safety. In Berlin and Brandenburg, the start of the allergy season has been officially declared, linked to the rapid pollen release from hazel and alder trees. Simultaneously, in the Alps, the risk of avalanches is increasing, as the zero-degree isotherm has moved dangerously high, up to 3,200 meters above sea level. „È la prima vera pulsazione dell'anno di un promontorio subtropicale che ci mostra le potenzialità di configurazioni che un tempo non facevano parte del nostro clima” (It is the first real pulse of the year of a subtropical ridge that shows us the potential of configurations that once were not part of our climate.) — Lorenzo Tedici Despite the heatwave, meteorologists warn of local disruptions. Morning fog in river valleys and sudden gusts of wind in mountainous regions, especially in the Black Forest, can significantly lower the perceived temperature. While the south of the continent will enjoy sunshine at least until the first decade of March, northern regions of Germany expect a temporary cooling and rainfall as early as the coming weekend.