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WEATHER

White Christmas forecast for parts of Germany

The chilly weather of the last week may bring rewards after all, with Germany set for a white Christmas - at least in some parts of the country, forecasters said Tuesday.

Published: 22 December 2009 14:22 CET
White Christmas forecast for parts of Germany
Photo: DPA

A low pressure system is set to bring snow, hail or rain on Christmas Eve, while southern and eastern parts of the country will likely see snow on Christmas day, the German Weather Service (DWD) said in a statement.

With Germany and much of Europe gripped by biting cold since late last week, forecasters had warned that warmer temperatures around Christmas were likely to bring only rain.

But snow is now looking more likely, the DWD said. Snowflakes are expected to blanket the southeast on Wednesday, while the rest of the country will see brighter patches with only isolated snow and rain.

Thursday, which is also Christmas Eve, will see drier weather with patches of sunshine to the east while the west will likely get some snow and a high risk of black ice with temperatures around -2 to -4 degrees Celsius.

By Christmas day on Friday, the southern and eastern parts of the country will have the highest chance of snowfall. In southern Bavaria, there could even be an abundance of fresh now, with temperatures between -1 and -5 degrees.

Click here for The Local’s weather forecast.

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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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