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This weekend Germany is getting its first summerlike weather (after having seen snow earlier in the month), with temperatures forecast to reach 30°C or more in some parts of Germany.

And already a number of media outlets and WetterOnline, for example, have announced that a “heat wave” will roll across the country over the coming days.

But as Schneefan at climate and weather site wobleibtdieerderwaermung.de points out, you really have got to wonder what the media and some weather outlets are thinking here. This all borders on real comedy.

Wetter online.de wrote:

Perfect timing: Precisely during what will be for many a long holiday weekend, the first heat wave of the year is rolling in. Already on Saturday along the Rhine area temperatures of 30°C are in the works. On Saturday and Monday it’ll be around 30°C hot everywhere...“

“Around 30°C hot”…, on Saturday and Monday? This is a heat wave?

“Meteorological nonsense”

Schneefan thinks it’s ridiculous, and calls it “meteorological nonsense” when one looks at the definition of a heat wave, provided by Wetteronline no less:

It is considered a heat wave when the high temperature reaches 30°C or more over five or more consecutive days.”

“That certainly isn’t going to happen in Germany at the end of May 2017,” Schneefan comments. “Two days of heat don’t make a heat wave, but they do cause waves from the media.”

30°C temperatures in fact spotty, short-lived

Looking at major cities across Germany, we see in fact that temperatures will be 30°C or higher only over a few hours during the “heat wave”. Berlin will see only about 5 hours of 30°C. Frankfurt will see some three days with temps reaching 30°C or higher, for a total of roughly 15 hours.

Munich and Hamburg aren’t going to see the 30°C mark at all during the year’s first “heat wave”. Hanover will see one day (Monday) with 30°C – for about a whopping whole 3 hours!

The 7-day outlook for the 2m temperature shows in fact rather substantial cooling across much of Europe:

The 7-day forecast shows cooling across much of Europe (blue color). Source: www.karstenhaustein.com/climate.php