Drought in Northern and Eastern Germany
Recent weeks of heat and aridity have dried out soil and vegetation in northern and eastern Germany. In some regions the lowest precipitation levels in 50 years have been measured. EOC time series analyses document the extent of the drought.
Satellite data time series covering many years allow comparison of this year’s situation with previous years. The analysis makes visible differences from the mean value of the past 18 years. Areas in which the vegetation was less robust in June 2018 are shown in brown tones. Areas where there was more photosynthetic activity in the vegetation cover compared with the long-term mean value appear in green tones. Especially the northern and eastern parts of Germany greatly suffer from the continued dryness.
Already in April and May this year high temperatures in Germany made headlines. The absence of precipitation in June and July then led to drought in the affected regions, with many negative consequences. Agriculture is particularly affected. In large parts of Germany harvesting has to take place earlier than usual this year and lower yields are anticipated because of the rainfall deficit.