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WEATHER

Wacky weather: Snow and freezing temperatures come to Germany after Easter

Germany is in the grip of a cold front. And it's going to stay that way until at least the weekend, according to meteorologists.

Published: 6 April 2021 16:21 CEST
Wacky weather: Snow and freezing temperatures come to Germany after Easter
Snow sleds on the Feldberg in Hesse on Tuesday. Photo: DPA

It’s snowing, hailing and raining – and in some parts of Germany temperatures have even dipped to below freezing, with thick blankets of snow covering the landscape. 

The reason is a persistent cold front, which will continue to provide cool weather that fluctuates between bursts of snow, rain and sun in the coming days. Germany lies in the influx of cold polar air from Arctic latitudes, wrote the German Weather Service (DWD) on its website. 

On Tuesday, the maximum temperatures around the Bundesrepublik will shift between -3C and 7C. 

Berlin will see both rainy and sunny weather, with a high of 6C. Snow showers will come to Hamburg in the early evening, with highs of 4C. Munich will also see light snow, with a maximum temperature of 3C and in Frankfurt there will be a mix of rain and snow, with highs of 7C.

“The coldest air mass possible at this time of year is right over Germany,” weather experts at Wetter.net wrote. 

Until at least Thursday, the daily maximum temperatures around the Bundesrepublik will remain in single digits, according to DWD.

In addition, there will be a mix of rain, snow and sleet showers throughout the country. 

In the low mountain ranges and the Alps, a few centimeters of fresh snow are possible each day, and at altitudes above 500 meters there may be permafrost.

Germany will warm up with sunny weather on Thursday, but – with a new rain band in the north – temperatures around Germany will again dip to lows of 8C on Friday.  

Easter eggs on a bush in Leipzig on Tuesday. Photo: DPA

While the mercury will go up over the weekend, there will still be rainy and cloudy weather around the country. 

“Accordingly, it will hardly be warmer than 13 to 14C next weekend,” according to the forecast at Wetter.net. On Saturday, Berlin will see temperatures of 11C, Hamburg 9C, and Frankfurt 15C. Munich, and other parts of southern Germany, will see the sun over the weekend, with temperatures up to 18C.  

With bad weather and icy conditions, there have also been several accidents recently, including two fatal crashes in north Germany on Easter Monday, when sudden snow resulted in slippery roads. 

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WILDLIFE

Southern Germany sees explosion of mosquitos after floods

First flooding, and now a plague of mosquitos: hoards of the annoying bloodsuckers are spreading on Lake Constance. Here's what to expect if you are visiting the region.

Published: 24 June 2024 16:57 CEST
Southern Germany sees explosion of mosquitos after floods

After severe floods in southern Germany, conditions are ripe for mosquito populations to explode, according to an expert in the region. 

Rainer Bretthauer, environmental and climate protection officer at the city of Radolfzell on Lake Constance, told DPA that the popular holiday location is already seeing signs of a mosquito plague.

 Bretthauer said that the floods have offered perfect conditions for egg laying, resulting in masses of mosquito offspring.

People living around the area or visiting should be prepared, Bretthauer said. He suggested, for instance, wearing loose-fitting and long clothing.

Timing also plays a role when you’re outside. “They tend to bite during twilight hours when the temperature is higher than 18C,” he said. 

Mosquitos ‘not a bad thing for wildlife’

While growing mosquito hoards may ruin peoples’ camping trips and planned lake vacations, for local wildlife, the mosquitos are a good thing, according to the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (Nabu).

“All the insects that are now developing are a very important food source for many fish species and also for birds,” said Eberhard Klein from Nabu in Constance.

Around 50 species of mosquitoes are known in Germany. Some of them are counted among the so-called floodwater mosquitoes, which increasingly hatch after flooding.

According to experts, these mosquitos are particularly zealous blood hunters, as they have to reproduce quickly before the favourable conditions disappear again.

Floodwater mosquitoes like to lay their eggs on moist soil, often in riparian zones and floodplains. There they can survive in the soil for several years.

When these zones flood and the temperature is favourable, the eggs develop and hatch mosquitos. Therefore large-scale flooding, as seen recently in Southern Germany, can lead to mass hatching.

Mosquito borne illness is spreading to Europe as temperatures warm

Warming temperatures brought by human-caused climate change have allowed mosquito populations to extend further northward in Europe, including disease-carrying species that were previously limited to regions closer to the equator.

For example, the Asian tiger mosquito is not native to Europe but has already been observed in much of southern and central Europe, including Germany.

Tiger mosquitos are particularly concerning because they are known to spread diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika virus. Mass outbreaks of these infections have been rising globally. Last year local Dengue outbreaks were recorded in France, Italy and Spain.

With reporting by DPA

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