# Offshore wind expansion and Northwest European rainfall > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/offshore-wind-expansion-and-northwest-european-rainfall > Updated: 2026-08-22T23:01:30.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2. Researchers from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon have conducted modeling studies using the COSMO-CLM regional climate model to investigate how the large-scale expansion of offshore wind farms in Northwest Europe might influence precipitation patterns. The studies indicate that while current development and planned expansions through 2030 have minimal effects on rainfall, a theoretical maximum technical expansion scenario could lead to significant regional shifts. In such an extreme scenario, the extraction of kinetic energy by turbine rotors creates turbulence that causes moist marine air to rise and condense. This process could increase rainfall by 8 to 10 millimeters per month (a 12 to 18 percent rise) directly over wind farm areas in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, English Channel, and Irish Sea. Conversely, the air moving downstream toward land would carry less moisture, potentially causing precipitation to decrease by 10% to 15% in adjacent coastal regions of Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Denmark. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-22: Offshore wind expansion could alter Northwest European rainfall A study by Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon indicates that massive offshore wind farm expansion could shift rainfall in Northwest Europe, potentially increasing sea precipitation while drying some coastal areas. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/offshore-wind-expansion-could-alter-northwest-european-rainfall ### 2026-08-20: Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon study links offshore wind to rainfall shifts A Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon study indicates that massive offshore wind expansion could increase rainfall over wind farms while reducing precipitation in coastal areas due to atmospheric turbulence. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/helmholtz-zentrum-hereon-study-links-offshore-wind-to-rainfall-shifts --- Cite as: Offshore wind expansion and Northwest European rainfall. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/offshore-wind-expansion-and-northwest-european-rainfall