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WEATHER

More storms to hit NRW after heavy rains flood streets and basements

As a thunderstorm with lightning and heavy rain swept through North Rhine-Westphalia on Tuesday evening, some streets and basements were flooded. More stormy weather is forecast for Wednesday.

More storms to hit NRW after heavy rains flood streets and basements
Rain clouds over Duisburg. Photo: DPA

As meteorologists at the German Weather Service (DWD) predicted, heavy storms hit areas of Germany on Tuesday, particularly the country’s most populous state NRW.

The Bergisches Land mountainous region and city and surrounding area of Siegen were hardest hit. Several roads and basements were reported as being flooded but no major damage was recorded, police said on Wednesday morning.

The fire brigade in Düsseldorf completed ten missions related to the heavy rains, many of them having to do with flooded basements, according to a spokesperson.

In Wuppertal, the fire brigade was called to operations more than 50 times, many of them due to flooded cellars, a spokesman said. Similarly, in Krefeld, the emergency services were repeatedly called out on missions due to flooded basements or loose roof tiles.

The DWD predict that NRW as well as parts of northern Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and Thuringia could see more thunderstorms on Wednesday.

Heavy rain and lightning are expected to hit the northern half of NRW around noon. Wind speeds of up to 50 km/h are also forecast.

In the evening the weather is predicted to calm down and heading into Thursday the showers are expected to subside. Highs of between 15C and 19C are predicted and lows will hover between 6C and 10C.

But don’t put away your umbrellas just yet.

For Thursday, partly cloudy skies are forecast but the afternoon or the evening could see showers or even thunderstorms in and around the NRW region. Though it should remain mostly dry particularly in the southwest of the country.

And on Friday DWD meteorologists state that in varying regions of the north and central Germany, heavy showers and lightning could take place. Wind speeds will be moderate and the showers will gradually diminish heading into Saturday.

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.

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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