Denmark experienced unusually heavy rainfall this week, prompting the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) to issue a category 3 warning, the first of its kind in over two decades. South Zealand and Lolland-Falster were particularly affected by the extreme weather event that spanned from Monday to Wednesday.

The DMI reported that 27 measuring stations recorded 100 millimeters of precipitation during the period. Bjørup, near Nykøbing Falster, saw the highest rainfall with 165.6 millimeters, followed by Nedble on Møn (158.6 millimeters) and Nørreby on Femø (155.9 millimeters).

Næstved experienced record-breaking daily rainfall with 135.0 millimeters between Tuesday and Wednesday. DMI noted that this was the fourth-highest daily rainfall ever recorded in July for the country, exceeding the normal monthly rainfall of 65.8 millimeters.

During Monday and Tuesday, a total of 24 cloudbursts were registered, with DMI suggesting the actual number was likely higher.

While DMI cannot definitively attribute the extreme precipitation to climate change, they acknowledge that such weather patterns align with projections for a warmer climate, where increased evaporation is expected. A category 3 warning indicates a high risk of environmental impact and disruption to societal functions.

Despite the severity of the warning, insurance companies received fewer damage reports than anticipated. Topdanmark, If, Tryg, Alm. Brand, Codan, and GF Forsikring collectively received approximately 1100 reports.