The claim
ARD manipulates the weather maps in daily topics by displaying temperatures in red to create a more dramatic perception of climate change.
Our conclusion
The fact check shows that this claim is not true. The change in the design of the weather maps in 2020 served to standardize and adapt to the design of the Tagesschau. Coloring temperature maps red is not a new practice and was already used before 2020.
The summer heat is causing tempers to flare not only in the real world, but also on social media. ARD is currently the focus of criticism. What is it about? It's the weather maps of the day's topics that annoy some viewers. They compare still images from 2016 and 2023 and accuse ARD of manipulating the audience with different representations.

One comment in particular stands out: "Weather reporting in the German Daily Topics 2016 and 2023... when 25 - 29°C was still normal summer and when 22 - 27°C suddenly escalated into dangerous heat." A clear accusation that the red one Coloring of the 2023 map comes into the spotlight. But what's really behind it?
Design change – Nothing stays the same
What at first glance looks like a manipulative change turns out to be purely cosmetic upon closer inspection. In 2020, ARD revised the weather maps of the daily topics and adapted them to the design of the Tagesschau. Previously, the daily theme maps were not able to display temperature differences in color.
With the new regulation, the maps were supplied from a uniform source. Therefore, the card design for the daily topics changed to that of the Tagesschau, explains Silke Hansen, head of the weather department at Hessischer Rundfunk (HR).
Weather Maps: Are We Comparing Apples to Oranges?
The stills shared on social media tell different stories. The image from 2023 shows a temperature map with color gradients. The one from 2016, on the other hand, shows a physical map with shades of green and geographical features. Not a temperature map, but a constant geographical representation.
Two stills from the daily topics are currently being compared on social media. The first image is from the broadcast on June 6, 2023 and shows a temperature map for the coming day, on which different temperature zones are marked with different colors.
The second picture comes from the broadcast on June 6, 2016 ( To the video . You can see this excerpt at minute 28:35)

Although the temperatures then were similar to those seven years later, the map looks completely different. Instead of colored representations, it shows shades of green and contains geographical information such as mountains, rivers and federal state borders. This map is always designed the same regardless of the weather conditions and only has different labels. So it is not a special temperature map like the 2023 map.
Interestingly, colored temperature maps are by no means new on ARD. The Tagesschau used it as early as 1999. They were simply integrated into the daily topics in 2020.
Color does not equal temperature
Another exciting piece of information from Ms. Hansen: Weather maps change their colors regularly, and have been doing so for over 20 years! In summer, a temperature of 15 degrees is perceived as cool and the map shows cool colors. In January, on the other hand, 15 degrees is a real temperature bonus and the colors shine warmer.
| Claims | Fact check |
|---|---|
| ARD changed the design of the cards in the daily topics in 2020. | Correct. In 2020, ARD adapted the design of the weather maps in the daily topics to the design of the Tagesschau in order to achieve a uniform design. Prior to this change, color temperature maps were not used in daily themes. |
| The still images from the Daily Topics from 2016 and 2023 show different representations. | Correct. The 2016 still image shows a map in shades of green with geographical features, while the 2023 still image is a temperature map with color representations of the different temperatures. |
| The temperature maps with red coloring are new. | Incorrect. ARD was already using temperature maps with red coloring before 2020. These were retained during the design adjustment in 2020. |
| Changes to weather maps are regular and recurring. | Correct. The weather maps are adjusted regularly and depending on the season. For example, temperatures are shown with cooler colors in summer and warmer colors in winter. This is a practice that has continued for over 20 years. |
Conclusion: The criticism of the ARD weather maps shows how important the context is and how quickly misunderstandings can arise. In the age of climate change, we must focus on getting the facts right. And sometimes that just means digging deeper and looking behind the colors.
In line with this topic:
If you enjoyed this post and value the importance of well-founded information, become part of the exclusive Mimikama Club! Support our work and help us promote awareness and combat misinformation. As a club member you receive:
📬 Special Weekly Newsletter: Get exclusive content straight to your inbox.
🎥 Exclusive video* “Fact Checker Basic Course”: Learn from Andre Wolf how to recognize and combat misinformation.
📅 Early access to in-depth articles and fact checks: always be one step ahead.
📄 Bonus articles, just for you: Discover content you won't find anywhere else.
📝 Participation in webinars and workshops : Join us live or watch the recordings.
✔️ Quality exchange: Discuss safely in our comment function without trolls and bots.
Join us and become part of a community that stands for truth and clarity. Together we can make the world a little better!
* In this special course, Andre Wolf will teach you how to recognize and effectively combat misinformation. After completing the video, you have the opportunity to join our research team and actively participate in the education - an opportunity that is exclusively reserved for our club members!
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )

