Are we now threatened with a third drought year in a row?

Spring 2020 review
In spring 2020, the temperatures in Germany fell on average overall (the
April was too warm, May too cold). In many places, the three months of March to May were the
sunniest since measurements began. The month of May was the first month with
temperatures below average for exactly one year. Especially the cold nights
including the ice saints, which were very pronounced this year, led to this. In some places
there were more days with ground frost in spring than in the previous three
Winter months December to February.
The most serious feature, however, was the extreme drought, especially in
April. Even the spring before the onset of the 2018 drought summer was significantly wetter. in the
last spring, the figure calculated from January 1, 2018 already increased significantly
high total precipitation deficit in the Coswig area even by -76 mm to -410
mm. A more than worrying start to the summer of 2020. 2020 could, depending on the future
summer weather represent the third drought year in a row. A comparably critical one
This situation has never existed in Germany since measurements began.

The available drought monitor from the Halle-Leipzig environmental research center currently shows
that the ongoing for the last few yearsextraordinary* drought of the soil
up to a depth of 1.8 mcontinued in Saxony. Figuratively speaking, ours is missing
So the ground in our region currently has a significant amount of water of around 400
liters per square meter.

* We distinguish 5 degrees of drought severity (unusually dry -> moderate drought ->
severe drought -> extreme drought -> exceptional drought)

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Outlook summer and autumn 2020
Our weather has been very bad, especially in the past two years
shaped weather conditions that appeared downright deadlocked, i.e. lasted longer and longer.
This applies in particular to so-called blocking high-pressure weather conditions. This
block the west current that normally dominates in Central Europe and thus the
typical changeability of our weather. However, it is more than surprising that
to observe this general circulation deviation for more than 2 years in a row
is. A reliable scientific forecast of whether the situation will change this summer
and autumn continues is unfortunately not possible.
Another note on the drought: In principle, the existing exceptional drought could
of the soil only due to a wet winter half-year 2020/2021 that was well above average
be significantly reduced, since the groundwater recharge usually during this

season takes place. We should due to the soils dried out to great depths
again this year with significant damage, at least to older trees in the
Calculate garden and forest area.