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WEATHER

Storms cause delays on major rail routes

Travel delays continued for a second day on Wednesday as fallen branches obstructed major railway routes in Germany following violent storms.

Storms cause delays on major rail routes
Rail workers repair the lines between Düsseldorf and Cologne on Wednesday Photo: DPA

The deadly weather, which killed six people in western Germany on Monday night and Tuesday morning, moved east on Wednesday causing travel problems.

Rail operator Deutsche Bahn reported service interruptions on both the Hanover-Berlin and Hamburg-Berlin long-distance routes. As trains were being diverted, passengers have had to reckon with longer transit times.

In the west of the country, where storms devastated parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, rail schedules remained irregular at major rail hubs, including Essen and Düsseldorf.

Deutsche Bahn said numerous stretches of track in the state were still closed. Trains heading to the Ruhrgebiet were also stopping at Cologne, Hamm and Münster, while many S-Bahn services were cancelled on Wednesday.

Although thousands of Deutsche Bahn staff are trying to solve the problems, it is still uncertain when trains will be running on schedule.

Police plan to fly over each rail route in helicopters to determine the extent of the damage. Sixteen evacuated trains remained stranded on railways.

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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.

'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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