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WEATHER

Germany orders drivers to slow down on Autobahns over fears roads will ‘blow up’ in heat

With temperatures up to 40C forecast, officials have placed speed limits on sections of Germany's famous Autobahn network over concerns the road could buckle in the heat.

Published: 25 June 2019 11:47 CEST
Germany orders drivers to slow down on Autobahns over fears roads will 'blow up' in heat
A heat damaged section of the A5 in Heidelberg in 2015. Photo: DPA
The heatwave hitting Germany is not only causing problems for people – it is impacting roads too.
 
Experts fear sections of the highway could buckle in the heat, increasing the risk of accidents. That's why authorities have imposed speed limits on parts of the country's Autobahn, which is famous for having sections with no speed limit.
 
The damage – dubbed “blow-ups” by the German press – on the highways occur when extreme heat causes surfaces to buckle and rip. It can happen in older portions of the road network built with concrete. 
 
 
Several sections of the A9 and A38 in the south of eastern German state Saxony-Anhalt are subject to speed limits until further notice, according to the head of the state road construction authority, Uwe Langkammer.
 
These are precautionary measures to keep motorists safer in the event that the roads become damaged without warning. 
 
The A9 between the Schkeuditzer Kreuz and Halle is affected. A limit of 120 km/h has been put in place there.
 
A limit of 100 km/h has been set for the A9 towards Munich between Naumburg and Droyßig as well as around Weißenfels.
 
On the A38, motorists have to drive slower in both directions between Merseburg-Süd and Merseburg-Nord as well as towards Leipzig between Lützen and the border to Saxony.
 
More speed limits or measures could be set if the extreme heat continues. 
 
 
Extreme heat causes accidents
 
In June 2013 extreme heat triggered buckling in the country's Autobahn, and in one location in Bavaria a rip in the highway surface resulted in the death of a motorcyclist and injuries to several other motorists, reported Spiegel. Temperatures in the area had reached 34C.
 
Meanwhile, in the summer of 2015, heat caused a section of the A9 near Bad Dürrenberg in Saxony-Anhalt to become badly damaged. The section was closed for weeks as repairs got underway. 

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WEATHER

Severe weather warnings issued as Germany braces for more storms

Extreme weather warnings for heavy rainfall remain in place in parts of Germany on Friday following flooding in the south. There is also a chance of thunderstorms at the weekend.

Published: 17 May 2024 10:37 CEST
Severe weather warnings issued as Germany braces for more storms

Severe weather is expected in the southwest of the country on Friday, with the heaviest rain expected in Saarbrücken, as well as the surrounding areas of Saarland and southern Rhineland-Palatinate.

In these areas Germany’s weather service (DWD) has level 4 warnings in place – meaning that the rain is expected to be extremely heavy (more than 40 litres per square metre in an hour, or 60 litres per square metre in 6 hours).

Slightly less severe, but still heavy continuous rain can also be expected in the surrounding regions, extending as far as Stuttgart and Mainz.

Speaking to Bild newspaper, Climatologist Dr. Karsten Brandt suggested that the heavy precipitation and thunderstorms will continue to move northwest, even into southern North-Rhine Westphalia (Aachen).

There are also wind warnings in parts of the country, with squalls expected on the Brocken and the Fichtelberg mountains, as well as in the Black Forest and in the Alps.

Currently, the highest wind warnings are in Dresden and southern Bavaria near the Alps.

Friday’s weather warnings come in the wake of chaotic weather that flooded Nuremberg and parts of Bavaria Thursday night, where many roads flooded. Cars were submerged in water and bus routes were cancelled.

A number of household cellars also flooded as well as a large underground car park at the Technical University.

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

What will the weekend bring?

Beyond the area of severe weather warnings but not beyond the reach of the storm, Cologne will have some rain on Friday which may continue on through the weekend.

Germany’s northern and eastern regions have dodged the recent bout of storms so far, but in Berlin scattered thunderstorms can be expected to move in by Sunday afternoon. This may put a dampener on the Karneval der Kulturen parade. 

In Bremen and Hamburg, residents can expect some rain showers on Sunday and Monday, with a chance of thunderstorms as well.

In Munich and Nuremberg, it looks as if the worst is over. Some small showers may continue into Saturday, but Bavarian residents can look forward to a sunny Sunday ahead of the public holiday on Monday for Pentecost. 

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