DWD
“Unrivaled value”: Warmest September since measurements began in 1881
According to the preliminary DWD balance, September 2023 was also the second sunniest since records began. photo
© Martin Schutt/dpa
17.2 degrees average temperature – according to the German Weather Service, the new record is “further evidence that we are in the midst of climate change.”
According to preliminary figures from the German Weather Service, September 2023 was the warmest in Germany since Measurements began in 1881. As the DWD reported on Friday in Offenbach, there was “a value that has never been achieved in the annals of weather records”: the average temperature was 17.2 degrees.
That was 3.9 degrees above the value of the internationally valid reference period 1961 to 1990. Compared to the current and warmer comparison period 1991 to 2020, the deviation was 3.4 degrees. This significantly exceeded the previous records from September 2006 and 2016, which were 16.9 degrees each.
According to the preliminary balance, September 2023 was also the second sunniest since records began. At the same time, it was “significantly too dry,” as the DWD reported after initial evaluations of the results of its around 2,000 measuring stations.
Many summer days with more than 25 degrees
“The extraordinary temperatures in this year’s record September in Germany are further evidence that we are in the midst of climate change,” said Tobias Fuchs, head of the climate and environment division at the DWD.
In France, too, it was the warmest September since weather records began in 1900. According to preliminary values, the average temperature was 21.5 degrees, 3.6 degrees warmer than the average for the years 1991 to 2020, according to the weather service Météo France announced on Friday in Paris.
The decisive factor for the German record were many summer days with temperatures of more than 25 degrees. On the northern edge of the low mountain ranges, such as in Barsinghausen-Hohenbostel southwest of Hanover and in Huy-Pabstorf west of Magdeburg, the 30 degree mark was broken for the first time in seven days. In Waghäusel-Kirrlach on the Upper Rhine Graben it was also the hottest on September 12th at 33.3 degrees.
Around 32 liters per square meter
As a “refreshing contrast program”, according to the DWD, Deutschneudorf-Brüderwiese (Erzgebirge) and Oberstdorf (Allgäu) marked the nationwide low points on September 25th with 0.9 degrees each.
In September, at around 32 liters per square meter, only a little more than half of the precipitation fell in the reference period 1961 to 1990. Compared to 1991 to 2020, the amount also reached almost half of the target. The heaviest rainfall was observed in the west and along the Alps. Beckum-Vellern in southeastern Münsterland reported the highest daily rainfall on September 12th at 102.6 liters per square meter.
At around 246 hours, sunshine in September exceeded its target of 150 hours (period 1961 to 1990) by almost 65 percent. Compared to 1991 to 2020 (157 hours), the increase was around 57 percent. According to the DWD, September 2023 was the second sunniest after 1959.
Another special feature of this September: impressive northern lights could be observed on the night of the 25th, especially over the northern half.
“Experience climate change live”
The DWD had already published a preliminary summer balance sheet at the end of August. The summer of 2023 will therefore join the series of summers that were too warm in Germany. According to preliminary results, with an average temperature of 18.6 degrees, it was 2.3 degrees above the value for the internationally valid reference period 1961 to 1990. At least that was the status after the evaluation of around 2,000 measuring stations for the months of June to August.
The DWD plans to present a final balance sheet in October. But the trend is already clear: “Summers have been measured in Germany that are too warm for 27 years now,” said DWD spokesman Uwe Kirsche on the occasion of the preliminary summer balance on August 30th. “We can once again experience climate change live.”
The United Nations (UN) defines climate change as long-term changes in temperatures and weather patterns. Since the 19th century, these have been “mainly due to human activities”. According to the UN, this is primarily the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas.