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WEATHER

Hurricane Xaver hits northern Germany

UPDATE: Hurricane Xaver hit northern German late Thursday morning and its strength surpassed expectations. Water levels are expected to rise far high than initially thought, putting cities like Hamburg in danger of flooding.

Hurricane Xaver hits northern Germany
North Sea waves break over the sea wall at Dagebüll, Schleswig-Holstein. Photo: DPA

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Almost all flights meant to leave and arrive at Hamburg airport did not, schools closed and ships stayed in harbour ahead of the bad weather with wind speeds of 140 km/h expected. Companies across the hit areas have sent staff home, Welt newspaper reported.

By the afternoon, winds of 140 km/h were howling down the coast, where children largely did not go to school. Schools as far south as Berlin – three hours inland – were sending pupils home early.

The entire train network in Schleswig-Holstein had been shut down, as was motorways A7. Some towns on exposed bits of coast, like Borkum, have advised residents to seek higher ground, Welt newspaper reported.

CLICK HERE for photos of the storm

The DWD issued an extreme weather warning for the states of Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony and Bremen. Travelling from Greenland – Xaver has already hit Scotland, leaving large areas without electricity and killed one person.

Storm “Xaver” will be longer and more intense than “Christian” which hit in October and in Hamburg, coastal workers are preparing for a six metre surge in water levels – this would go straight over storm barriers.

Fire brigades have been going between houses since 7am advising people to secure their windows and doors. Cars should also be parked somewhere safe and any furniture on balconies and terraces stacked away.

Anyone in the area should try to stay at home and avoid narrow streets and forests.

Schools as well as Christmas markets in both Kiel and Hamburg are shut, as are visitor attractions and cathedrals. As of 10am, Chemnitz in Saxony – miles from the most intense weather, said it would also close theirs, just to be safe.

Leipzig Christmas market was also shut on Thursday afternoon. 

Esther Carretero, 45, who lives in the centre of Hamburg with her three children and husband, said people had been leaving work early and were following advice to stay indoors.

"It is really dark and very windy," she told The Local on Thursday afternoon. "There were not many people around today."

Ferries leaving from Kiel harbour going to Denmark and Scandinavia are, for the time being, staying in port because of very high tides and huge waves.

The storm is expected to hit at high tide leading to fears of a repeat of the floods which devastated Hamburg in 1962. Police removed eight surfers who were riding waves on the Alster river. They face fines.

Temperatures are, the DWD said, expected to plummet overnight and northern Germany will freeze – meaning potentially treacherous icy conditions on Friday morning.

The south of the country will also experience gale-force blasts, especially in the mountains, although this will not be as bad as in the north, which will have to wait until Friday for the wild weather to calm down.

READ MORE: Snow, sleet and storms welcome December

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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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