It's not only in Germany that summer is extreme this year.
The popular holiday destinations of Portugal, Spain and Italy are currently struggling with drought and heat.
A state of emergency was declared in the first regions.
Stuttgart - We definitely can't complain about not enough sunshine with the weather in Germany this spring and summer.
On the contrary: the past few months have been too sunny and dry.
June set a record.
July could also crack one or the other high.
While many are happy about the great bathing weather, others groan about the ongoing drought, as
BW24
writes, among others.
Particularly affected: Portugal, Spain and Italy.
The popular holiday destinations are facing a drought the likes of which have not been seen in 1,200 years - and are in danger of drying out.
Some areas have already declared a state of emergency.
Not a drop of rain: Italy declares a state of emergency – limited water use
It rains again and again, one or the other may think.
However, the amounts that are currently falling from the sky, for example with the weather in Germany, are far too small to compensate for the precipitation deficit.
While cold polar air around Friday (July 8th) causes temperatures to drop and occasional showers, other regions of Europe are still dry.
Northern Italy in particular longs for the rain.
The Po River has almost no water left, its tributaries have all dried up completely.
In some places, the level is lower than it has been in 70 years.
On Monday (4 July) the government in Rome declared a state of emergency in Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
As a result, the Italian government can more easily support the affected regions with funds in the fight against the drought.
The consequences of the drought are to be combated with 36.5 million euros.
The effects of the extreme weather can already be seen at popular Italian travel destinations for Germans.
Lake Garda and Lago Maggiore carry significantly less water than they usually do at this time of year.
The tourist hotspots of Venice and Milan have turned off some of the fountains due to the drought.
As also reported by
Merkur.de
, the first cities in Italy are now rationing drinking water.
In Verona, for example, it is forbidden until August 31st to use drinking water to irrigate gardens and sports facilities, to wash cars or to fill swimming pools.
Azores high causes extreme temperatures in Western Europe - it could get worse in the future
The situation is similar in other countries.
A "fat Azores high" has been causing extreme temperatures in Portugal and Spain for weeks.
A dramatic situation, because the situation is expected to get worse;
There is no sign of rain in the coming weeks.
As
bild.de
reports, parts of Spain and Portugal are drier than they have been for 1,200 years.
And the drought could get even worse: weather models calculate up to 50 degrees in Portugal for the middle of the month.
The trigger is hot air from the Sahara, which according to forecasts is making its way to Europe.
Climate researchers warn that such droughts could become commonplace in the future.
Due to climate change, the Azores High will continue to spread.
The result: in the affected regions, precipitation will fall by a further 10 to 20 percent by the end of the 21st century.
Disastrous prospects for local agriculture.
Azores high
The Azores High is a high pressure area in the Atlantic that has a decisive influence on our weather in Germany and Western Europe.
In the summer months, the Azores high ensures that hot and dry air can reach Portugal, Spain and Italy.
In the winter months, on the other hand, it causes precipitation.
Due to global warming, the high pressure area is expanding.
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