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WEATHER

Little chance of white Christmas in Germany

Chances are slim that there will be snow on the ground on Christmas Day across most of Germany, the German Weather Service (DWD) said on Monday.

Little chance of white Christmas in Germany
People walking on the frozen Nymphenburg canal in Munich in January 2013. Photo: DPA

“The question whether there will be snow or another green and mild holiday is definitely one of the questions people ask meteorologists the most,” the DWD said in a statement on Monday.

“There will probably only be snow on the holidays in the mountains, above 1,000 to 1,500 metres,” a DWD spokesman said.

“In lower areas, current forecasts say there's more chance of temperatures above 10 degrees than frost and snowfall.”

Although a definite forecast isn't possible 10 days out, the weather service offered statistical likelihoods of snow on December 25th for different regions of Germany.

Western Germany, including North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg and the Saarland, has a very low chance for snow at just one in 10.

In the East, Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Saxony-Anhalt have a slightly better outlook with 20 percent, while Saxony has a one in four chance of snowfall.

Bavaria enjoys a 40 percent chance of snow in Munich, rising to over four in five in the highest parts of the German Alps.

Meanwhile, Hamburg and the north coast are the least likely to be singing along to Bing Crosby, at just two percent likelihood.

SEE ALSO: Your guide to Germany's Christmas markets

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WEATHER

More rain forecast as storms hit western Germany

Severe storms and heavy rain affected parts of Germany on Thursday, creating disruptions. More rain is forecast on Friday but weather warnings have been lifted.

More rain forecast as storms hit western Germany

Major storms hit western Germany on Thursday, causing travel disruption and flooding. 

In parts of Baden-Württemberg, streets were flooded and rivers swelled. Bisingen, southwest of Tübingen, was particularly hard hit, with cellars and streets plunged under water.

Police said there was also traffic disruption. In Baden-Württemberg’s state capital Stuttgart, severe storms and lightning caused issues and some roads were closed.

A lightning strike in the Sigmaringen area resulted in a broken signal box on the railway line. According to Deutsche Bahn, no train journeys were possible in the region in the early evening with several delays and cancellations.

Other states were also affected.

There were around 300 relief operations in the Ahrweiler district in Rhineland-Palatinate, which was hit by the 2021 deadly flood disaster.

Police said no-on was injured, although basements and streets were flooded. The water levels of the Ahr were being closely monitored.

Emergency services in Bisingen on Thursday.

Emergency services in Bisingen on Thursday. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Silas Stein

In Trier, too, streets were flooded after heavy rain and there were hailstorms. The Koblenz police headquarters reported fallen trees. Significant property damage due to full cellars and flooded streets was also reported in some areas. 

Heavy showers also fell in Hesse, accompanied by thunder storms. In Frankfurt, according to the fire department, the heavy rain caused water to enter the Bethanien Hospital and even reach the intensive care unit of the clinic.

“We were able to contain the damage relatively quickly and prevent it from spreading,” said fire department spokesman Thorben Schemmel, adding that no patients were affected.

In Rhineland-Palatinate, the Eifel region was particularly affected, with reports of flooded streets after heavy rain and hailstorms.

North Rhine-Westphalia also saw storms late in the afternoon on Thursday. 

The German Weather Service (DWD) said it expected some heavy rain and hail in parts of the country on Friday – particularly in the west – and at the weekend but warnings of severe weather have been lifted. 

The DWD said there could still be one or two strong thunderstorms in the northeast on Friday. However, it will be a significantly quieter day compared to Thursday. Temperatures of up to 25C can be expected.

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