High water in regions of Lower Saxony appeared not to receding and, DWD meteorologist Johanna Anger said, more rain was likely to arrive during the course of the day – particularly towards the south of the state.

“We can’t say exactly how much will fall but we can say that chances of it staying dry are very unlikely,” admitted Anger.

The Hildesheim area was especially badly hit this week, and firemen there are yet to be given the all-clear. They know that more rain is on its way and are ready to be of assistance if floods worsen. In the city of Braunschweig though, the water level looks as if it might be beginning to drop there.

In the south-eastern corner of the state, towards the central Harz mountain region, the weather could be at its wildest. “In the worst case, between 50 and 60 litres could fall within 24 hours,” said Anger. Last weekend, 80 litres fell in the same time frame.

For the rest of the country, the air will be cooler and the ground damper as June begins. Thursday will see thunderstorms across the north and east, combined with sticky highs of 20C.

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As the night arrives, temperatures will drop to lows of 14C in urban areas and 5C in southern, rural regions. As explained by Anger, the middle of the country will be very wet, while far north and east should stay dry.

Germany will wake up on Friday to thick, grey skies almost everywhere. In the northeast this will be accompanied by lively thunderstorms and heavy rain. Other areas will be rained on, but less dramatically so. Temperatures should stick between 9C and 14C in the south, 13C to 18C in the middle and between 17C and 22C across the north.

After a night similar to the day before, Saturday will arrive bringing with it fierce showers in the east and prolonged rain across the south. Despite highs of 20C in some places, it won’t be barbecue weather, due a constant threat of downpour, everywhere.

Saturday night will too, the DWD said, be a wet one for the south, south east and east. Everywhere else might be lucky enough to see a few stars, but with clear skies will come lows of just 6C.

By Sunday, rain will still be falling on the south and east but in a much gentler fashion. In the north west and west there is even a chance of sunshine, which could help begin to dry up flooding from the week before.

DPA/The Local/jcw