The 1,142-metre peak in the state of Saxony-Anhalt saw its snow base almost double overnight, going from 28 centimetres at noon on Monday to 50 centimetres by Tuesday morning. Meanwhile high winds have created massive drifts, said René Sosna from the Brocken weather observation tower.

The tracks of the Harz Railway, the main line to the Brocken, have also been covered in drifts. Workers began to clear the way around 8 am when the sun rose.

Some trees fell overnight from the weight of the snow, but they were safely removed, police said. Authorities in the nearby cities of Goslar, Braunlage, Clausthal-Zellerfeld and Braunschweig said they hadn’t had any major traffic incidents after issuing a storm warning.

The DWD reported that increasingly wet and cold air is moving into the country, with clouds and rain expected in most regions, and snow above 200 metres altitude. High temperatures will range between 2 and 6 degrees Celsius, but will likely drop below freezing in the coming days.

DAPD/ka