Microclimate in Cologne Basin This is why it’s often so humid in Bonn
Bonn · With an average of 35 humid days, Bonn is far ahead of other German cities. But how much does the weather really affect our wellbeing? And why is it always so humid in Bonn of all places?
Does Bonn’s climate make you tired? Bonn, one of the warmest regions in Germany with an average annual temperature of 10.3 degrees, is at the southeast end of the Cologne basin and surrounded by low mountain ranges meaning there is little movement in the air masses.
This means it is often oppressively warm, especially in urban areas – frequently five degrees warmer than in the surrounding area. Its location also means temperature inversions can occur, which increase fine particle pollution.
The maritime climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream over the Atlantic and the North Sea, which is only a few hundred kilometres away. With relatively high humidity and rising temperatures, the number of muggy days in the federal city then increases – to an average of 35 per year according to the University of Bonn.
Some then feel sluggish and faint. This is because the human body has difficulty in regulating itself in the humid heat.
As the German Weather Service explains, the body sweats because of the heat. In dry air, this is a good regulator, which functions even better in the wind. If it is humid, the air can no longer absorb the water from pores of the skin. There is a “congestion” and the perceived temperature can be several degrees higher than the measured temperature.
According to the DWD, humid weather conditions can especially affect the wellbeing, performance and health of people with cardiovascular and inflammatory rheumatic complaints. If the weather changes within a short time, there are complaints of headaches and pain.
Matthias Habel of the Bonn weather service WetterOnline is more sceptical on the subject of sensitivity to changes in the weather. “I don’t know of any medical study that proves it.” Basically, it depends on the individual physical performance.
Habel thinks the microclimate also has a positive side: “In Bonn it rains comparatively rarely. Even in Siegburg or Sankt Augustin it rains more frequently.”
Original text: Sebastian Meltz.
Translation: kc
