German Weather Service warns of severe drought in southern Germany

The Deutsche Wetterdienst (German Weather Service) reports unusually strong soil dryness across southern and south‑central Germany. Since March, rainfall has been well below the long‑term average, with the Pfalz, Rheinhessen and Unterfranken receiving less than 150 L per square metre and many southern areas getting less than half of the 1991‑2020 norm.

The service warns that the prolonged deficit, combined with a heat wave in late June, has sharply reduced soil moisture, threatening water‑intensive crops such as maize, sugar beet and potatoes. Regional damage to these crops is already marked, and a shortage of green‑feed for livestock is possible. Grain and rapeseed are less affected because they mature quickly under high temperatures, but overall the drought poses a significant risk to agricultural yields in the affected German states.