DWD Forecast: Sheep's Cool Instead of Sheep's Cold – Summer Takes a Break Midweek

On Tuesday, showers and thunderstorms with sometimes strong gusts will move through from North Rhine-Westphalia to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. "Vom Südwesten bis in die Mitte hingegen bleibt es laut Reuter tagsüber überwiegend trocken." At the same time, the DWD expects rain from Bavaria to Saxony. Highs will only reach 15 to 21 degrees Celsius according to the forecast.

Wednesday will likely bring numerous showers and thunderstorms, according to Reuter: "Vor allem in der Westhälfte gebe es zahlreiche Schauer und Gewitter, die sich mit etwas sonnigeren Phasen abwechseln." In the south, however, it will rain for longer periods. Daily highs will be at a cool 15 to 19 degrees, locally perhaps 20 degrees. "Richtig usselig könnte es dann am Mittwoch werden, wenn wir vom Juni zurück in den April katapultiert werden", said Reuter.

Term "Schafskälte": Reuter Prefers to Speak of "Schafskühle"

On Thursday, a weak intermediate high influence could lead to a temporary calming of the weather, at least from the west to the central region. "Vor allem im Osten und Südosten gibt es aber weitere Schauer, vielleicht auch noch kurze Gewitter bei einem nur unwesentlich veränderten Temperaturniveau."

The temperature contrast to the course of the week so far is significant, according to Reuter's assessment: "Mitunter könnten die Temperaturen jetzt besonders frisch wirken, da es in der letzten Zeit so sommerlich und auch heiß gewesen sei." Reuter also emphasized that the weather conditions are not unusual for the season: "Das sei aber nicht ungewöhnlich für diesen Zeitraum, sagt Oliver Reuter."

When looking at the traditional weather term "Schafskälte," the meteorologist is reserved. The timing does fit, "aber für eine echte 'Schafskälte' sei es nicht wirklich kalt genug, sagt Reuter." Instead, he suggested a milder formulation: "Vielleicht sollte man eher von einer 'Schafskühle' sprechen, statt von einer 'Schafskälte'."

Background of the Cold Snap in June

The background of the term is an image from agriculture: "Der Begriff 'Schafskälte' wird damit erklärt, dass die Schafe zu dieser Zeit meist nach dem Winter frisch geschoren sind und dann frierend auf den Wiesen stehen." The cold snap, which often occurs in Central Europe in June, does not, however, have a uniformly defined weather pattern in Germany.

For the coming days, it is advisable to plan for weatherproof clothing and rain protection in case of thunderstorms. Those out and about outdoors should also keep an eye on the DWD's warnings, as individual thunderstorms can be more severe.

Overall, it is clear that June is once again living up to its reputation as a moody early summer month this year. After a hot early summer, a significantly cooler weather period is returning for a few days, before the weather possibly stabilizes again towards the weekend.