Germany, Poland and Czechia set all-time heat records as temperatures top 41°C across Central Europe
A blistering heatwave pushed German, Polish and Czech thermometers past 41°C on Sunday, shattering multiple national records before forecast storms bring relief.
Regional records tumble
On Sunday, the Polish border town of Slubice on the Oder river recorded 40.5°C, surpassing the country's previous all‑time high of 40.2°C set in 1921. The measurement, while preliminary, was enough for IMGW spokeswoman Agnieszka Prasek to state:
Across the border in Germany, the same afternoon brought 41.7°C in Neißemünde, Brandenburg, the third consecutive day a national record had been rewritten. In the Czech Republic, Doksany registered 41.1°C after hitting 40.9°C a day earlier, breaking the 2012 mark of 40.4°C.We can speak of a record.
- Germany: 41.3°C in Saarbrücken
- Germany: 41.5°C in Drewitz; Czechia: 40.9°C in Doksany
- Germany: 41.7°C in Neißemünde; Poland: 40.5°C in Slubice; Czechia: 41.1°C in Doksany
Three‑day streak in Germany
Germany's meteorological service (DWD) reported that Friday's 41.3°C in Saarbrücken gave way to 41.5°C in Drewitz, Saxony‑Anhalt on Saturday, before Sunday's 41.7°C reading near the Polish border. The overnight low in Kubschütz, Saxony, hit 29.4°C, eclipsing the previous German record of 27.2°C from August 2003. All figures remain provisional pending quality control, the DWD cautioned.
Health and emergency strain
The blistering conditions forced the cancellation of outdoor events and sports competitions across Germany. In Cologne, the fire brigade's rescue service reached capacity, while Essen added extra shifts. A village in Rhineland‑Palatinate was evacuated because of a forest fire that broke out on Saturday. French health authorities reported roughly 1,000 excess deaths since Wednesday, predominantly among people over 65.
Forecast and climate context
Storms are forecast for Sunday evening and temperatures are expected to fall below 30°C early next week. Germany's Environment Agency notes that, despite year‑to‑year fluctuations, the number of days exceeding 30°C has climbed steeply, and heatwaves are becoming more intense and more likely worldwide because of climate change. In Slovakia, where thermometers reached over 39°C on Sunday, the national record withstood the surge.
The national temperature record resisted.
