Severe weather warning for Cologne: Heat wave hits easy, danger remains!

Severe weather warning for Cologne: Heat wave hits easy, danger remains!

On Saturday, June 14, 2025, the heat wave in Cologne and the rest of Germany continued to flourish. The German Weather Service (DWD) let the alarm bells ring at 2 p.m. and published a severe weather warning. The Rhineland and Cologne were particularly affected, where heavy thunderstorms were announced with heavy rain, gusts of wind and even hail. But for Cologne, the weather happiness apparently had a good hand: there were strong gusts of wind and a violent rain shower, but fortunately there were no missions from the fire brigade. A fallen tree in a park did not cause any significant problems.

Before the storm rolled up, Friday showed its best side: in bright sunshine, the temperatures in Cologne climbed to a pleasant 30 degrees. But the heat warning of the DWD could not be overlooked and applied from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. for Saturday. Old and people in need of care were particularly at risk, on whose health the extreme weather conditions had an impact that was not too contemptuous. The city of Cologne therefore set up some tips for heat days and set up a heat telephone on 0221-221-34347 to support the citizens: inside.

storm and heat warnings

From the afternoon, the risk of storm increased noticeably. The official severe weather warning, which was valid until 3 p.m. Finished weather forecasts announced rainfall from 30 to 40 liters per square meter, with gusts of wind that could reach up to 95 km/h, as well as hail with grain sizes around 2 cm. The Warn apps Nina and Katwarn also informed about the impending storm damage at 2 p.m. Not only Cologne, but also adjacent areas from Leverkusen to Euskirchen with the risk of lightning strikes, falling trees and flooding.

Despite the emerging thunderstorms, the fire brigade in Cologne could not have a storm -related commitment. This shows that the city has so far got off lightly, even if the uncertainty remains with regard to further development. The DWD already warned of a potential storm for Cologne and the Rhineland in the week and emphasized the high potential for dangerous storm cells from Saturday afternoon.

heat and their consequences

The heat load not only represents a meteorological but also a health risk. The DWD recommends paying attention to the heat warnings because they are output for days of health. These warnings take into account various criteria, including temperature load both during the day and at night. Sensitive people, such as older people or those with health previous illnesses, should be particularly careful, because the heat can significantly endanger their health.

according to the Environmental Federal Agency In recent years the "hot days", ie days with temperatures above 30 ° C, and "tropical nights", in which the temperature does not drop below 20 ° C, on the rise. Studies show that these climatic changes not only increase the number of hot days, but also increase health risks, especially in urban areas, where the urban heat island effect is an additional problem.

A clear temperature drop is expected for the coming days, with maximum values ​​between 21 and 24 degrees on Sunday. But the weather service urges caution: at night there could be thunderstorms with heavy rain. So stay informed and adapt to the conditions!