New heat record in the North Sea – lots of rain in sight

The North Sea was warmer than ever recorded in the summer of 2025, with an average temperature of 15.7 degrees, around two degrees above the long-term average.

The surface water was particularly warm in the western and southwestern North Sea up to the English Channel. Towards the east, in the areas off Denmark and Norway, the deviation was around 1.3 degrees.

In autumn, heavy rainfall often occurs on the coasts and over the sea. This is due to the still warm water and the cool air above it.

The temperature difference causes numerous showers to develop. Local wind conditions along the coast can further intensify this effect.

This means that there will be repeated rainfall in the North Sea region until the weekend. At times, there will even be heavy showers and thunderstorms.