German weather may spring surprises
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-05-25 16:10 The next critical date is June 27. According to German folklore, if it rains
on this day, it will rain for the next seven weeks. But if it is sunny,
statistics show the next few weeks are also warm and dry about 70 percent of the
time.
Other meteorologists have examined the weather data since 1994 and predicted
that the coldest match, at least based on past data, will be the Group E meeting
between the Czech Republic and Italy in Hamburg on June 22 -- 14.8 degrees. The
hottest will be June 21 in Frankfurt -- Netherlands v Argentina -- with 19.3
degrees, they say.
The driest date will be June 26 in Cologne, where it has rained only twice in
the last 11 years on that date. The winners of Group G meet the runners-up from
Group H then.
All quarter-final matches are on days at venues with a high probability of
rain. The semi-finals may also be wet. Munich and Dortmund have had heavy rain
on the relevant dates for the last 11 years.
HEAVY RAIN
An Illuminated TV
tower is seen next to the facade of the Berliner Dom in Germany's capital.
[Reuters] | Warm and dry weather may be preferable
for some teams, fans, and journalists, but rain has often helped Germany teams
-- as seen in their 1974 victory over a great Poland side.
Twenty years earlier, in 1954, outsiders West Germany came from two goals
down to beat Hungary in the final in Switzerland -- played in heavy rain the
Germans called "Fritz Walter weather" in honour of their captain who excelled on
wet pitches.
Frank Boettcher is a meteorologist who has studied weather data and match
results of the six past World Cup winners and found that Italy and Germany do
well compared to Brazil, Argentina, England, and France when temperatures are
extremely high.
"If temperatures are over 30 degrees or there is a strong thunderstorm with
heavy rain, Germany would almost be on equal footing against Brazil," said
Boettcher, who studied conditions for 93 matches of those top six teams for
"Wetter Magazin".
He said Italy topped the list in hot weather over 27 degrees although Germany
did nearly as well in the heat. The two were at the top of the statistics with
the average temperature of their wins above 23 degrees. Brazil, by contrast,
topped the six-team table when temperatures were below 18 degrees.
Germany fared worst of all in windy conditions.
"Higher temperatures help the outsiders," said Boettcher, theorising that
passes may not be as accurate in extreme heat. "Teams with more talent sometimes
struggle. But I have a feeling Brazil won't be bothered even if a thunderstorm
hits the final."
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