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WEATHER

Heavy storms hit western Germany following heat wave

Following the hottest day of the year in Germany, storms are hitting the western part of the country.

Heavy storms hit western Germany following heat wave
Symbol photo shows storms in Bonn, western Germany. Photo: WetterOnline/Shutterstock/DPA

With a peak temperature of 32.9 degrees, Sunday was the hottest day of the year to date in Germany. According to the DWD (German Weather Service), the mercury jumped this high in Geldern-Walbeck, North Rhine-Westphalia, as well as in Lenzen (Elbe) in Brandenburg.

This heat is only expected to increase in eastern Germany, with highs of up to 35 degrees predicted for parts of Brandenburg on Monday. For the rest of the country, the temperature is expected to hover around 22 to 27 degrees.

READ ALSO: Temperatures of 30C predicted in Germany in June

A girl enjoying the warm weather in Brandenburg on Sunday. Photo: DPA

But in the western regions of Germany, DWD warned of heavy thunderstorms with heavy rain, hail and gusts of wind.

On the weather portal kachelmannwetter.de, numerous lightning strikes were reported, particularly in the Rhine country, in the Ruhr district and south of Bremen.

Emergency services in Duisburg were deployed five times on Sunday night due to fallen trees. Several cars were damaged, but people were not injured. According to a police spokesman, numerous households in the Kleve district were briefly affected by a presumably storm-related power failure on Sunday evening.

Strong thunderstorms also struck in Düsseldorf, Mönchengladbach, Essen and Münster – according to the local fire brigades, however, these were mild and did not involve major operations.

A car drives through a puddle in Düsseldorf on Sunday. Photo: DPA

DWD meteorologists expected the thunderstorms to move further east during the course of Monday. In a broad strip from Baden-Württemberg to the Baltic Sea, thunderstorms, heavy rain, wind – and even some hail is expected. In Saxony-Anhalt strong heat thunderstorms with heavy rain and hail are possible.

For Baden-Württemberg, a DWD meteorologist predicted 30 to 40 liters of rain per square meter and hail locally. They couldn’t yet say, however, exactly where the thunderstorms will occur.

“There is potential everywhere. The southern and southeastern part of the country will probably be most affected,” said the meteorologist.

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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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