German Weather Station Records Driest First Half Of Year In 13 Decades

A weather station in Potsdam, Germany, one of the world's oldest, has recorded the driest first half of a year since measurements began more than 130 years ago, according to the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

The station, operated by the German Weather Service, has been running continuously since 1893 and is a key reference point for tracking climate trends.

It helps compare current weather conditions such as temperature, rainfall and sunshine with long-term climate patterns.

Fred Hattermann, a hydrologist at PIK, said, "According to current data, the station in Potsdam likely recorded a new all-time low in the first half of 2025: just 146.8 millimetres of rainfall, even less than during the same period in 1942 (158.5 millimetres), the previous record." 

"The long-term average for this location in the first half of the year is around 300 millimetres. Although January brought heavy rainfall across Germany, this declined sharply in February and was almost non-existent in March. In the following months up to and including June, rainfall was also below average in most regions of Germany," he said.

Peter Hoffmann, a meteorologist at PIK, said forests are especially affected by long dry periods.

"The damage caused in recent years is clearly visible in many regions of Germany and has not yet been repaired and the renewed dry spell is exacerbating the problems. In addition, the higher temperatures have led to higher water requirements for vegetation and the landscape. This is because the average temperature in Germany is now around 2 degrees Celsius higher than it was 100 years ago," he said.

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