Southwest Germany was hit by intense rain and hail storms on Monday night and into Tuesday morning, causing considerable damage in the region as well as the death of one woman.

In the area of Tuttlingen, Baden-Württemberg, the hail became so intense that officials had to bring in a snowplough to clear the roadways: the hail had piled up several centimetres high, turning the streets into a white landscape.

There were also flooded roads and basements in the area.

“Overall we came away with a black eye again,” said Tuttlingen police spokesman Thomas Kalmbach.

Near the town of Geisingen, within the district of Tuttlingen, a woman was killed while driving on the Autobahn. Another car had hydroplaned, crashed into a guardrail and came to be positioned perpendicular to traffic. The 37-year-old woman collided with this car and a truck then crashed into the two vehicles, killing the woman.

Three other people were injured in the accident and taken to hospital.

The German Weather Service (DWD) now predicts the southwest to see some relief from the bad weather, with temperatures expected to reach up to 22C around Stuttgart on Wednesday and 25C on Thursday.

Weather prediction for Thursday

Most of the rest of Germany is also expected to see temperatures in the low to mid-20s on Thursday and Friday, though the north and northwest are predicted to see rain going into the weekend.

“Autumn storms are coming,” the DWD wrote on Twitter. “On Wednesday, north of the central uplands, there will be squalls of up to strengths of 7, on the coasts up to 8.”

By Saturday, rain showers will also return to the southwest, and is set to move into the central and eastern regions.

Weather prediction for Saturday