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STORM

Germany braces for violent storms and extreme winds

Storm Sabine is forecast to hit Germany at the end of the weekend bringing with it high winds and rain.

Published: 7 February 2020 11:56 CET
Updated: 7 February 2020 15:51 CET
Germany braces for violent storms and extreme winds
High waters on a stormy day in Schleswig-Holstein in January. Photo: DPA

On Sunday forecasters predict heavy showers, gale-force winds and thunderstorms. There might also be some hailstones and localized flooding.

In a statement, the German Weather Service (DWD) said the weekend would be fairly calm from a meteorological point of view, but “from Sunday onwards the tone will change significantly, as a nationwide, partly severe storm situation is likely”.

Forecasters said the strong gusts will be felt in the northwest of Germany as early as Sunday morning, particularly in areas at the North Sea coast.

The storm will then spread to the north and centre of the country. And on Sunday night, the south of Germany will also be affected.

DWD posted this graphic which shows where the strongest winds are expected (areas in red on the map).

According to forecasters, the wind will continue to increase and heavy gusts are likely in some areas.

“With a cold front moving simultaneously from northwest to southeast, gale-force gusts of over 105 km/h and hurricane-speed gusts are also possible at times,” said the weather service.

Some weather experts predicted wind speeds of more than 120km/h.

Rescue workers at the scene of a fallen tree in Stuttgart on Tuesday. Photo: DPA

Meanwhile, the storm will likely continue throughout Monday until the early hours of Tuesday.

DWD tweeted a warning on Thursday to say that the storm coming from the Norway area was due to arrive in Germany from Sunday.

The weather will likely cause disruption to public transport and commuters are warned to allow more time to get to work on Monday.

Rail operator Deutsche Bahn said it was ready for any extreme weather and preparations would “naturally be in full swing”.

“Technicians and staff are in stand-by mode so that in the event of a disruption, train traffic can resume as quickly as possible,” the spokeswoman said.

However, meteorologist Bernd Hussing, based in Essen, said it was hard to predict the severity of the storm and winds.

“How strong it will be is still a bit uncertain,” he told German newspaper, RP Online. 

It came after torrential rain mixed with strong winds caused widespread disruption in southern and western Germany earlier this week.

READ ALSO: Fact check – is winter actually coming to Germany this year?
 

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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.

Published: 3 May 2024 09:53 CEST
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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