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WEATHER

Wacky weather: Snow and freezing temperatures come to Germany after Easter

Germany is in the grip of a cold front. And it's going to stay that way until at least the weekend, according to meteorologists.

Published: 6 April 2021 16:21 CEST
Wacky weather: Snow and freezing temperatures come to Germany after Easter
Snow sleds on the Feldberg in Hesse on Tuesday. Photo: DPA

It’s snowing, hailing and raining – and in some parts of Germany temperatures have even dipped to below freezing, with thick blankets of snow covering the landscape. 

The reason is a persistent cold front, which will continue to provide cool weather that fluctuates between bursts of snow, rain and sun in the coming days. Germany lies in the influx of cold polar air from Arctic latitudes, wrote the German Weather Service (DWD) on its website. 

On Tuesday, the maximum temperatures around the Bundesrepublik will shift between -3C and 7C. 

Berlin will see both rainy and sunny weather, with a high of 6C. Snow showers will come to Hamburg in the early evening, with highs of 4C. Munich will also see light snow, with a maximum temperature of 3C and in Frankfurt there will be a mix of rain and snow, with highs of 7C.

“The coldest air mass possible at this time of year is right over Germany,” weather experts at Wetter.net wrote. 

Until at least Thursday, the daily maximum temperatures around the Bundesrepublik will remain in single digits, according to DWD.

In addition, there will be a mix of rain, snow and sleet showers throughout the country. 

In the low mountain ranges and the Alps, a few centimeters of fresh snow are possible each day, and at altitudes above 500 meters there may be permafrost.

Germany will warm up with sunny weather on Thursday, but – with a new rain band in the north – temperatures around Germany will again dip to lows of 8C on Friday.  

Easter eggs on a bush in Leipzig on Tuesday. Photo: DPA

While the mercury will go up over the weekend, there will still be rainy and cloudy weather around the country. 

“Accordingly, it will hardly be warmer than 13 to 14C next weekend,” according to the forecast at Wetter.net. On Saturday, Berlin will see temperatures of 11C, Hamburg 9C, and Frankfurt 15C. Munich, and other parts of southern Germany, will see the sun over the weekend, with temperatures up to 18C.  

With bad weather and icy conditions, there have also been several accidents recently, including two fatal crashes in north Germany on Easter Monday, when sudden snow resulted in slippery roads. 

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WEATHER

Germany braces for more severe storms and heavy rain

Storms have been sweeping across Germany since Friday. Residents in the south-west were hit first, but other regions can expect thunderstorms and severe rain from Tuesday.

Published: 21 May 2024 10:28 CEST
Germany braces for more severe storms and heavy rain

Parts of Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and Saarland should be prepared for thunderstorms and heavy rain.

“On Tuesday, another low-pressure zone will form over Germany, increasing the risk of severe weather,” said the German Weather Service (DWD).

Over the Whitsun weekend, a series of storms hit Germany. Residents in Saarland and south-west Rhineland-Palatinate in particular battled against flooding.

A deluge of rain caused landslides as well as flooded roads and cellars in these two regions. Rail services also came to a temporary standstill, but resumed on Saturday.

According to Saarland state premier Anke Rehlinger (SPD), emergency services were called out on 4,000 rescue operations. However, tragedy struck when a 67-year-old woman died after being hit by an emergency vehicle. Authorities said no one else was seriously injured.

READ ALSO: Floods easing in Germany’s Saarland but situation remains serious

From the Eifel via central Hesse to Bavaria

From Tuesday, stormy weather will affect other regions in Germany.

“This time, the focus will probably not be in Saarland and southern Rhineland-Palatinate, but a little further north, in the area from the Eifel region to central Hesse and south-east Bavaria,” said meteorologist Nico Bauer from the DWD.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L) and Saarland State premier Anke Rehlinger (R) wades through water as they visit flood stricken town of Kleinblittersdorf.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L) and Saarland State premier Anke Rehlinger (R) wades through water as they visit flood stricken town of Kleinblittersdorf. Photo: Iris Maria Maurer / AFP

From the early afternoon, thunderstorms, some of them heavy, are expected in a strip from south-east and eastern Bavaria via Hesse to northern Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Heavy rainfall of up to 25 litres per square metre is forecast to hit these areas. Locally, up to 40 litres per square metre is possible. Hailstones and high winds are also expected. According to the DWD, heavy rain and thunderstorms are likely to move to the north-east of Germany during the night to Wednesday.

Isolated storms have also affected other regions in Germany. Four people are fighting for their lives and a further six are seriously injured following a lightning strike on the banks of the Elbe in Dresden on Monday evening. 

Damage ‘in the millions’ 

While the current crisis is not yet over, the areas affected by heavy flooding are already beginning to come to terms with the situation. According to initial estimates, the floods have caused damage “well into the millions”, Saarland’s state premier Rehlinger said. The exact extent will only be known once the water has receded completely.

“However, it is already clear today that we will have to deal with massive damage to private property, but also to infrastructure such as roads, bridges and day care centres,” she said. “We have been fighting against masses of water for a few days, but we will certainly have to deal with the consequences for years.”

According to DWD meteorologist Bauer, heavy rainfall like this is becoming more frequent in Germany due to climate change.

“They are becoming more frequent and more intense, simply because a warmer atmosphere can absorb more moisture and the rainfall is therefore heavier,” he said. 

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

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