Alarming drought: Germany before a new drought summer!
Alarming drought: Germany before a new drought summer!
The spring 2023 in Germany was too dry in many regions, a fact that was already prescribed in winter with a significant lack of precipitation, especially in February. According to dewezet Rainfall. In May, the Upper soils were found in a drier state than usual in Northern and north-east Germany as well as in Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, Northern Bavaria and South Thuringia. This current situation is reminiscent of the drought year 2022 and results in alarming warnings from experts.
Katrin Drastig from the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Technology expresses concerns about a nationwide precipitation deficit that is considered a hydrological “mortgage” for the summer of 2025. Meteorologists cannot currently submit a clear prediction for the coming summer; However, climate models show worrying trends for possible drought.
The dangers of drought and its consequences
The continuing drought in the seeding phase is particularly critical, since the plants have not yet developed an extensive root system. This early dryness risk could have serious effects on agriculture. Persistent drought and heat also lead to an increased risk of forest fires, as was observed in 2018, 2019 and 2022. In order to counteract this, the German Weather Service (DWD) creates a risk of forest fire, which is based on data from 500 weather stations. Almost all forest fires are caused by human carelessness, which underlines the relevance of security measures such as the ban on smoking in the forest or open fire outside of barbecue areas.
In addition, inland navigation, especially on the Rhine, is affected by low water in streams, rivers and lakes. The coming weeks will be crucial to compensate for the water deficit, since experts emphasize that nationwide, productive rain is required. Local heavy rain events contribute little to improve the soil moisture and could not bring any nationwide relief. Without these rains there is a threat of further drought.drought - a global phenomenon
drought is not just a local problem, but a global phenomenon that affects people, animals and plants over longer periods. The world organization for meteorology (WMO) defines drought as a longer absence or a lack of precipitation. There are four basic approaches to measuring drought: meteorological, hydrological, agricultural and socio -economic. A fifth category, the ecological drought, looks at the effects on ecosystems and human communities.
factors such as missing precipitation, increased evapotranspiration and reduced soil moisture also lead to droughts that are reinforced by climate change. The sixth status report (AR6) of the IPCC predicts an increasing drought in many regions, including the Mediterranean and western Africa. Forecasts show that drought events with global warming could become more frequent and more intensive, which brings long -term effects on agriculture, health and energy supply.
The need for adaptation measures is therefore essential. Dürrem management plans, irrigation and the protection of the soil moisture are essential steps to counteract the negative effects. Local knowledge and gender -specific issues should also flow into water -related adaptation measures in order to develop a sustainable solution that also takes into account the specific requirements of the communities concerned. Further information on this topic can be found in a report by the International Commission to protect the Rhine .
In summary, it can be seen that developments in summer 2025 will be decisive in order to assess how dryness can be mastered in Germany. The recommendations for avoiding forest fires and the proposals for extensive drought management strategies will gain in importance in the coming months to ensure sustainable resource use and permanently minimize the negative effects of the drought.| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Deutschland |
| Quellen | |