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WEATHER

Storm ‘Carmen’ capsizes boat, fells trees and dumps snow

The storm system “Carmen” ripped through Germany on Thursday night, bringing high winds, heavy rain and some snow in the first big storm of autumn.

Storm 'Carmen' capsizes boat, fells trees and dumps snow
A felled tree in Dorsten, North Rhine-Westphalia. Photo: DPA

Wind gusts felled trees and street signs, though damages were not as severe as initially feared, police said on Friday morning.

In the north high seas forced authorities to temporarily close the Fehmarn Sound Bridge, which connects the island of Fehmarn with the mainland over the Baltic Sea.

Nearby a heavily loaded fishing boat capsized. The captain, who was alone on board, was rescued from the water.

Other parts of the country saw their first taste of winter for the year, with six centimetres of snow falling on North Rhine-Westphalia’s famous Kahler Asten peak.

“It looks like the dead of winter here,” said weather observer Klaus Pätschlack.

In the nearby Ebbe Mountains numerous trucks were stranded on icy roads, police said.

Meanwhile Karneval kick-off festivities in Cologne and elsewhere in the Rhineland were cut short due to high winds.

The St. Martin’s Day procession was also cancelled in Aachen, police said.

Streets in Essen flooded with water, but no accidents were reported.

The states of Lower Saxony, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia also reported high winds. Near Hannover a tree fell on a passing auto, barely missing the driver, who was uninjured.

Wind gusts in Saarland repeatedly triggered car alarms overnight, police said.

Click here for The Local’s weather forecast.

DPA/ka

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WEATHER

Spring to arrive in Germany with temperatures of up to 21C

The moment many people around Germany have been waiting for is almost here: as of Thursday, temperatures are expected to crack the 20C mark and stay warm through the start of spring.

Spring to arrive in Germany with temperatures of up to 21C

Whether it’s the pink cherry blossom trees which have started to bloom, lighter evenings or people walking around with ice cream cones, the signs of springs have already started to show around Germany in March.

Now the weather is also catching up: following rain storms on Wednesday, the mercury is expected to reach at least 20C in many parts of the Bundesrepublik on Thursday. 

READ ALSO: Seven signs that Spring has arrived in Germany

First there’s some damper news: On Wednesday, Germany – in particular the southwest – is expected to be hit by the storms. In the Black Forest, 30 to 40 litres per square metre will fall by midday, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).

In the Alps, light snowfall will set in above 1,000 to 1,200 metres, with fresh snowfall of around five centimetres expected. 

The rain will ease by the following morning, but it will remain cloudy.

Up to 21C on Thursday

On Thursday, after the morning the fog disappears, people can look forward to a sunny and dry day – especially in the south and western parts of Germany. 

Temperatures will rise to a pleasant 14 to 21C degrees, with the highest values on the Upper Rhine. 

In mountainous areas and by the sea, it will remain somewhat cooler at 10C to 14C. 

Friday will be characterised by changeable weather: there will be sunny spells as well as rain showers, which will spread from the west and may be heavy in places – including thunderstorms. 

Temperatures will be between 14C and 18C degrees, and in the Lausitz region in eastern Germany it could even reach a warm 20 degrees.

Warmer weeks

While this Sunday could still see some single digit temperatures in northern parts of Germany – such as 9C in Berlin and Hamburg – the coming week is set to experience continually warmer weather, remaining at 14C and higher. 

The first day of spring officially begins this year with the Spring Equinox on March 19th. The days will become even lighter in Germany after Daylight Savings Time, which this year takes place in the early hours of Easter Sunday, or March 31st.

READ ALSO: Everything that changes in Germany in March 2024

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