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WEATHER

More thunderstorms predicted to soak southern and western regions

After violent storms raged through southern Germany, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia on Thursday, more thunderstorms are predicted to arrive on Friday.

Published: 8 June 2018 11:30 CEST
More thunderstorms predicted to soak southern and western regions
Pedestrians caught in the rain in Essen on Thursday. Photo: DPA

Following flooded streets and basements and flight cancellations in Stuttgart and Frankfurt due to the extreme weather, meteorologists at the German Weather Service (DWD) have forecast heavy rain to hit again from noon onwards.

“From midday in the south, middle and some western parts of Germany, there’s a danger of local thunderstorms and lightning,” the DWD reported on Friday.

In a short time, between 25 and 40 litres of rain per square metre could fall and some areas could see up to 60 litres per square metre, according to the DWD. There’s also the danger of hail and strong winds of up to 75 kilometres per hour.

While the thunderstorms are predicted to cease in the evening on Friday and into Saturday, the stormy weather could continue for parts of the deep south.

But the north and east of the country will largely be free of thunderstorms on Friday due to warm and dry air, the DWD added.

By the evening on Thursday the strong storms had for the most part ceased in regions across Germany.

Prior to that though flight cancellations took place at two German airports.

Check-in at Stuttgart airport was closed for hours on Thursday evening due to the violent storms. 

“Within a very short time, streets, cellars and underpasses were flooded in Stuttgart,” said a spokesman for the city’s police headquarters on Friday morning. In Reutlingen, Esslingen and Mannheim, local fire brigades were called out numerous times due to reports of flooded cellars and streets. 

Since the Rhine region in Hesse was also affected by the storms, no planes were able to take off and land at Frankfurt Airport in the evening. According to airport operator Fraport, about 180 flights were cancelled.

A Deutsche Bahn spokesperson said that some of the tracks in the underground area of Frankfurt's main station had to be closed due to flooding. Three out of four S-Bahn lines in the central station had to be temporarily closed.

Further regions and cities affected by Thursday's thunderstorms include the Sauerland, Ruhr and Rhineland regions in North Rhine-Westphalia as well as Munich and the Upper Bavarian and Upper Franconian regions in Bavaria.

SEE ALSO: Thunderstorms to bring rare ‘blood rain’ to Germany

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WEATHER

‘Turbo spring’: Germany to see temperatures above 25C

Germany is set for a blast of warm weather in the coming week as the colder spell eases off.

Published: 26 April 2024 16:56 CEST
'Turbo spring': Germany to see temperatures above 25C

“The late winter weather of the past few days with frost and snow is a thing of the past for the time being, and spring will kick into turbo gear over the next few days,” said meteorologist Adrian Leyser from the German Weather Service (DWD) on Friday.

Temperatures are expected to rise sharply over the weekend with plenty of sunshine, forecasters said. In Germany anything above 25C is classed as a summer day. “The summer mark of 25C will be cracked regionally as early as Sunday,” said Leyser.

It comes as snow and hail hit Germany last week, and temperatures fell below freezing in some places.

But showers and thunderstorms are still possible in the west and north of Germany. Maximum temperatures there are expected to reach around 20C. 

According to the DWD, spring will get a little damper on Monday, with a few rain spells.  “However, the next low pressure system over Western Europe is preparing to turn on the warm air jet again from Tuesday,” said the meteorologist.

On Wednesday – which is a public holiday across Germany for International Workers’ Day – temperatures could soar nearer 30C. 

“In the south and east, we are even approaching the 30C mark,” said Leyser. However, the weather will remain “susceptible to disruption”, said Leyser, especially in the west where there is a risk of isolated and sometimes severe thunderstorms.

READ ALSO: What to do on May 1st in Germany

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