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WEATHER

Roads dangerous with more snow on the way

Motorists in Germany had to contend with snow and wintry driving conditions on Tuesday morning, as meteorologists forecast up to 40 centimetres of snow in some areas.

Published: 17 February 2009 08:34 CET
Roads dangerous with more snow on the way
Photo: DPA

Closed streets, jackknifed semi trucks, and two fatalities plagued German roads throughout the night as heavy snowfall hammered the country for a second night. While traffic in northern and western Germany was a bit more manageable due to higher temperatures, there were numerous accidents in the southern part of the country.

Icy roads in upper Bavaria near Haag killed one driver in a head on collision with a semi truck on the B12 motorway. Another driver was seriously injured in the accident. Another head on collision between a car and a bus left another 25-year-old driver dead in Deisenhausen in the same state, police reported.

In the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg several buildings were damaged by cars sliding out of control near Crailsheim. And near Karlsruhe large trucks struggled to stay on the road on the B36, which police said was littered with overturned vehicles.

The German Weather Service (DWD) predicted “lots of snow” in higher altitudes and the Black Forest region, with a thick blanket of up to 20 centimetres of snow in the Alps. The southern Allgäu region could get up to 40 centimetres, DWD said.

Western Germany can expect snow or rain as cloud cover eases throughout the day. Northern and eastern Germany will have clear skies by evening after snow ends there. Temperatures will likely remain around zero degrees Celsius, DWD said.

Click here for The Local’s weather forecast.

WEATHER

More rain forecast as storms hit western Germany

Severe storms and heavy rain affected parts of Germany on Thursday, creating disruptions. More rain is forecast on Friday but weather warnings have been lifted.

Published: 3 May 2024 09:53 CEST
More rain forecast as storms hit western Germany

Major storms hit western Germany on Thursday, causing travel disruption and flooding. 

In parts of Baden-Württemberg, streets were flooded and rivers swelled. Bisingen, southwest of Tübingen, was particularly hard hit, with cellars and streets plunged under water.

Police said there was also traffic disruption. In Baden-Württemberg’s state capital Stuttgart, severe storms and lightning caused issues and some roads were closed.

A lightning strike in the Sigmaringen area resulted in a broken signal box on the railway line. According to Deutsche Bahn, no train journeys were possible in the region in the early evening with several delays and cancellations.

Other states were also affected.

There were around 300 relief operations in the Ahrweiler district in Rhineland-Palatinate, which was hit by the 2021 deadly flood disaster.

Police said no-on was injured, although basements and streets were flooded. The water levels of the Ahr were being closely monitored.

Emergency services in Bisingen on Thursday.

Emergency services in Bisingen on Thursday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Silas Stein

In Trier, too, streets were flooded after heavy rain and there were hailstorms. The Koblenz police headquarters reported fallen trees. Significant property damage due to full cellars and flooded streets was also reported in some areas. 

Heavy showers also fell in Hesse, accompanied by thunder storms. In Frankfurt, according to the fire department, the heavy rain caused water to enter the Bethanien Hospital and even reach the intensive care unit of the clinic.

“We were able to contain the damage relatively quickly and prevent it from spreading,” said fire department spokesman Thorben Schemmel, adding that no patients were affected.

In Rhineland-Palatinate, the Eifel region was particularly affected, with reports of flooded streets after heavy rain and hailstorms.

North Rhine-Westphalia also saw storms late in the afternoon on Thursday. 

The German Weather Service (DWD) said it expected some heavy rain and hail in parts of the country on Friday – particularly in the west – and at the weekend but warnings of severe weather have been lifted. 

The DWD said there could still be one or two strong thunderstorms in the northeast on Friday. However, it will be a significantly quieter day compared to Thursday. Temperatures of up to 25C can be expected.

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