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Thunderstorms to bring rare ‘blood rain’ to Germany

On Thursday evening and into Friday showers and thunderstorms will arrive, bringing with them an unusual phenomenon known as blood rain.

Thunderstorms to bring rare ‘blood rain’ to Germany
A rainy day in Düsseldorf. Photo: DPA

Most of the rain, which actually ranges in colour from orange-red to brown, is predicted to fall in northern Germany and in Hamburg, according to weather.com.

But what exactly is blood rain?

The term is used to describe rain carrying sand from the Sahara. When the rain falls it has a reddish colour, though likely far from blood red in hue. When it dries it leaves a thin layer of dust on houses, cars and outdoor furniture.

Its occurrence is also rather rare; the last blood rain seen in Germany was in April 2016. Prior to that the curiosity made an appearance in spring 2014.

But if you’re lucky and live in the north of the country, you may be able to see it for yourself very soon. That is, if you're willing to stay up. With winds blowing in from the south on Thursday, blood rain is predicted to fall between 11pm and 3am.

According to weather.com meteorologists, whether the blood rain will fall in northern Hesse and in southern Lower Saxony is still unclear. The probability that Kassel, Hesse and Göttingen, Lower Saxony will get showers is predicted at up to 90 percent.

In the Middle Ages, people were fearful of the phenomenon as the rain was considered a harbinger of bad luck.

But blood rain isn’t dangerous or poisonous; you can’t get sick or die from it.

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WEATHER

Severe weather warnings issued as Germany braces for more storms

Extreme weather warnings for heavy rainfall remain in place in parts of Germany on Friday following flooding in the south. There is also a chance of thunderstorms at the weekend.

Severe weather warnings issued as Germany braces for more storms

Severe weather is expected in the southwest of the country on Friday, with the heaviest rain expected in Saarbrücken, as well as the surrounding areas of Saarland and southern Rhineland-Palatinate.

In these areas Germany’s weather service (DWD) has level 4 warnings in place – meaning that the rain is expected to be extremely heavy (more than 40 litres per square metre in an hour, or 60 litres per square metre in 6 hours).

Slightly less severe, but still heavy continuous rain can also be expected in the surrounding regions, extending as far as Stuttgart and Mainz.

Speaking to Bild newspaper, Climatologist Dr. Karsten Brandt suggested that the heavy precipitation and thunderstorms will continue to move northwest, even into southern North-Rhine Westphalia (Aachen).

There are also wind warnings in parts of the country, with squalls expected on the Brocken and the Fichtelberg mountains, as well as in the Black Forest and in the Alps.

Currently, the highest wind warnings are in Dresden and southern Bavaria near the Alps.

Friday’s weather warnings come in the wake of chaotic weather that flooded Nuremberg and parts of Bavaria Thursday night, where many roads flooded. Cars were submerged in water and bus routes were cancelled.

A number of household cellars also flooded as well as a large underground car park at the Technical University.

READ ALSO: Record heat deaths and floods – How Germany is being hit by climate change

What will the weekend bring?

Beyond the area of severe weather warnings but not beyond the reach of the storm, Cologne will have some rain on Friday which may continue on through the weekend.

Germany’s northern and eastern regions have dodged the recent bout of storms so far, but in Berlin scattered thunderstorms can be expected to move in by Sunday afternoon. This may put a dampener on the Karneval der Kulturen parade. 

In Bremen and Hamburg, residents can expect some rain showers on Sunday and Monday, with a chance of thunderstorms as well.

In Munich and Nuremberg, it looks as if the worst is over. Some small showers may continue into Saturday, but Bavarian residents can look forward to a sunny Sunday ahead of the public holiday on Monday for Pentecost. 

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