Heat wave in Hesse: Up to 39 degrees on Wednesday – warnings issued!

Heat wave in Hesse: Up to 39 degrees on Wednesday – warnings issued!

The coming days will bring a real heat wave for Hesse. By Thursday, people in the region will have to prepare for temperatures of up to 39 degrees hessenschau.de reported. The weather experts predict that Wednesday will be the hottest day of the week, especially in the Bergstrasse and Rhein-Main areas, where the thermometers could even break the 39 degree mark. 35 degrees can be expected on Monday and up to 37 degrees on Tuesday.

This is no reason to be happy, because such extreme temperatures are no longer the exception but have unfortunately become rampant. The highest value to date in Hesse was measured in July 2019 at 40.2 degrees. Meteorologist Mark Eisenmann warns that we may have to expect more frequent heat records due to climate change.

The health risks

Of particular concern are the health risks associated with the heat. High temperatures increase the risk of sunburns and also increase ozone pollution in the air. The Federal Environment Agency informs us that mortality in the population can increase during heat waves. In the hot summers of 2018 and 2019, around 15,600 people died in Germany due to heat stress. These numbers underscore the dangers, especially for older people and those with underlying health conditions.

A comprehensive heat warning is in effect in Hesse this week, starting on Monday in the southern half. The nights remain tropically hot without temperatures falling below 20 degrees. However, there could be a welcome cooling down given the favorable conditions in northern and eastern Hesse.

Preventive measures

Given this heat, some precautions are urgently required. The Climate-Human-Health recommends airing rooms early in the morning and darkening them during the day. Physical activities should be avoided if possible in order to stay healthy. It is also important to drink enough water and eat light foods. And very important: Children and animals should never be left in the car!

From Thursday, a cold front is expected to move through Hesse, which could bring relief by reducing temperatures to a pleasant 24 to 33 degrees. Comparatively bearable weather between 28 and 34 degrees is forecast for Friday. But until then it's time to hold on and deal with the heat carefully.