Erfurt in the heat midfield: alarming heat index for Thuringia!

Erfurt in the heat midfield: alarming heat index for Thuringia!

Erfurt, Deutschland - heat is a brand new topic in Germany. Today, on July 7, 2025, the heat check from the German Environmental Aid presents alarming results for Erfurt and other Thuringian cities. Like thueringen24.de reports in midfield under 190 cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants and received a yellow assessment. The heat-suffering index for Erfurt is 15.89-the highest in Thuringia. Gera (14.41), Weimar (14.39) and Jena (14.38) show similar values, all of whom have to struggle with temperatures around 34 degrees Celsius.

The average surface temperature in Erfurt was between 2021 and 2024 at hot 35 degrees Celsius, which makes the situation for the approximately 12 million people who are exposed to extreme heat in German cities. Deutsche Environmental Aid therefore calls for legal minimum requirements for green spaces to reduce the heat load. After all, around 3,000 people in Germany die from extreme heat every year, which underlines the need for measures.

urban measures against the heat

In order to counteract the dangers of the heat, Erfurt has set up a "heat phone". This should offer support for help in times of great warmth. In addition, further measures such as more drinking fountains and information on urban fountains are initiated. Jena, on the other hand, is planning a support network for older people who live alone to relieve them in extreme situations.

In Gera, a municipal heat action plan will be developed that will in future help to better protect the population from the consequences of the heat. A nationwide heat action plan will also be presented by the end of the year. No matter where you look - the cities are under pressure and have to find innovative solutions to secure the quality of life of their residents.

The role of climate change

The data based on these analyzes are supported, among other things, by satellite data and information from the census 2022. The research results show a clear trend: Since the 1980s, the number of hot days and tropical nights has increased, as the Environmental Bundesamt . DWD measurement networks show that the stress in urban areas is often underestimated, which also tightens the health risks for older people and people with chronic diseases.

cities that are among the hotspots, such as in southwestern Germany, have had over 16 heat warnings in the past five years. The concerns about the heat are increasing, and measures are urgently necessary to keep up the quality of life even on hot days - and not only in Erfurt. The challenge of making urban heat resilient is a central topic for many communities. The people in charge in Thuringia also know this and have therefore dealt intensively with the topic in order to offer the population the best possible support.