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Heat wave over Berlin: Tips for cooling down and protecting your health!
Märkisch-Oderland is preparing for an extreme heat wave. Temperatures over 30 degrees expected. Health warnings and protective measures recommended.
Heat wave over Berlin: Tips for cooling down and protecting your health!
In the coming days, Berlin and Brandenburg are facing a severe heat wave that will cause temperatures to rise to an impressive 33 to 37 degrees. How rbb24 reports, strong heat can be expected from Tuesday and Thursday in particular will be a challenge for many citizens. Such extreme temperatures not only have an impact on well-being, but also on health.
Ozone levels rise, particularly in sensitive people, which can lead to irritated mucous membranes, fatigue and headaches. Therefore, it is advisable to postpone physical activities and sports to the early morning or late evening hours to protect yourself from the heat.
Cooling options and heat action plan
Fortunately, there are numerous ways to cool off in Berlin. Churches and other cool places offer refuge from the heat, and Lageso has put together an overview of these places. In addition, the Technologie-Stiftung Berlin's freshness map ensures that shady places, drinking fountains and bathing areas are easy to find. There are over 240 free drinking fountains in the city for refreshment. However, anyone who enjoys swimming should be aware of the warning signs about blue-green algae at three swimming areas in Berlin and two in Brandenburg.
The outdoor pools in Berlin remain open and the water quality is generally good. However, as temperatures rise, higher crowds can be expected. A recent report recommends making drinks available at temperatures above 30 degrees and relaxing clothing regulations. Public transport services are partly affected by unair-conditioned S-Bahn trains, which are not due to be air-conditioned until the mid-2030s.
Health effects of heat waves
The health consequences of heat waves are already well documented. A current report from the RKI shows that temperatures in Germany have been around 2 °C above pre-industrial levels over the last decade. Eight of the ten hottest summers since 1881 have occurred in the last 30 years. Heat not only has immediate but also long-term health consequences, as it can exacerbate existing diseases, particularly of the cardiovascular system and respiratory system.
Another worrying factor is the increase in deaths during periods of extreme heat. In 2022, around 100 people in Brandenburg lost their lives due to heat effects, doubling compared to the previous year. While a heat action day on Wednesday is intended to draw attention to the dangers of heat, the challenge remains to create suitable heat action plans in a timely manner - a plan for Berlin will be presented in 2024, while the Brandenburg counterpart is only planned for 2027.
Given these warnings, it is even more important to take timely precautions. Employers are required to take heat protection measures, although there is no general right for employees to be heat-free. Citizens should also not be afraid to focus on their surroundings and nature: water bowls for birds in gardens can provide a small but important support, especially in extreme heat.
Interested readers can find further information and helpful tips on the site heat.info. There is a collection of useful tips on how to better deal with the heat and protect your own health.