Strong thunderstorms threaten parts of Germany on Friday. According to the German Weather Service (DWD), there is a high probability of a “severe storm” with thunderstorms, hail and storms in the west and south at night.
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According to the DWD meteorologist, the highest warning level (level 4) should be declared in many places. “This threatens significant damage as the thunderstorm complex extends,” Offenbach weather researcher said Thursday.
According to the definition, a formal level 4 warning can threaten people’s lives. “Avoid spending time outdoors. Be extra careful and regularly inform yourself of the evolving weather,” advised DWD. In addition, one should prepare for “extraordinary measures” and in any case follow the possible instructions from the authorities.
It is likely that so-called supercells will form as a result – rotating systems with powerful updates that move completely independently and are therefore difficult to predict. There are also “ideal conditions” for hurricanes.
According to DWD, Friday’s storm mainly affected an imaginary strip from North Rhine-Westphalia and northern Rhineland-Palatinate to Brandenburg and Western Pomerania. According to the information, it can only be said with certainty about where thunderstorms will release a few hours earlier, and for hurricanes, the forecast range is in the range of minutes.
“Due to the fact that the exact path of a small thunderstorm is still not predictable, there is still a certain degree of uncertainty,” the meteorologist said. Only in the far north and south of the country is there a less trend of thunderstorms.
The first storm on Thursday üWest Germany withdrew
DWD issued Level 3 warnings for western Germany on Thursday. The thunderstorm front reached North Rhine-Westphalia in the afternoon across the southwest near Aachen and then moved through the Rhineland, Münsterland and the Ruhr region. In many places the sky suddenly darkened. There was local torrential rain, thunder and lightning. Subsequently, the thunderstorm front continued across South Westphalia in the direction of East Westphalia-Liby.
A man was seriously injured in a lightning strike on a cargo ship in Duisburg. For security reasons, Dusseldorf Airport is closed for about 30 minutes in the afternoon. Half a dozen fallen trees were reported in the Lower Rhine and Münsterland, and railways were banned. A tree fell on the main north-south line between Düsseldorf and Leverkusen.
at Cologne Heavy rain, hurricane storms, and hail caused the fire brigade to call dozens of times: there were flooded basements, loose tiles and scaffolding, smashed branches, and fallen trees on roads and railroad tracks.
The weather service called for windows and doors to be closed and outside objects to be secured. “In particular, keep your distance from buildings, trees, scaffolding and high-voltage power lines,” he said. Cellars and streets may be flooded.
As reported by Deutsche Bahn, rail traffic to Germany in the neighboring Netherlands has been temporarily suspended due to the thunderstorm. The road is particularly affected Cologne to Amsterdam. There have been delays and cancellations.
She said on Twitter that trains were currently being diverted via Venlo. It is not yet clear how long this turmoil will last. There are delays and cancellations. The train travelers were asked to check the travel connection on the internet portals or the train app.
The reason is a wet air mass from the west
Dusseldorf Wildlife Park and Dortmund Zoo are already closed in the afternoon. All Ahrweiler District-sponsored schools were closed Friday. As the local area administration announced Thursday evening, there are no classes there. The district strongly recommends that other school sponsors keep them closed as well.
Thunderstorms are caused by an increasingly warm and humid air mass coming from the west. During the day it gets humid to hot, with temperatures reaching 27 and 32 degrees. On the other hand, the weather in southeast and eastern Germany will be sunny and dry on Thursday.
According to meteorologists, thunderstorms will continue to spread on Friday night. In the west and southwest, renewed rain and thunderstorms are expected in some areas, in the north with single and sometimes strong thunderstorms.
A thunderstorm is also expected over Berlin and Brandenburg
Severe storms are expected in the Berlin and Brandenburg regions on Friday. The German Meteorological Service announced, Thursday evening, that a thunderstorm will move from the west through the northern center as of the afternoon.
Severe and sometimes severe thunderstorms with massive impacts are expected. Heavy rains of up to 40 liters per square meter are possible in one hour. Chill stones can be about 5 centimeters in size. Severe storms or hurricanes are expected.
It added that in some cases, it is possible that very heavy rain, amounting to about 60 liters, will fall within a few hours. “Even individual hurricanes are not excluded.” There is a risk of small-scale flooding, and branches and trees can break. According to the forecast, the weather should calm down Saturday night.
Only in the north and north-east it remains calm
Only in the north, northeast and in southern Germany is there a low chance of thunderstorms. There will be a few showers in the south on Saturday evening.
The weather will calm down again this weekend. In the north the situation remains volatile. Daily maximum temperatures are 16 degrees on the coast and 18 to 22 degrees inland. In the west, south and center there will be plenty of sun on Sunday. The air temperature there rises to 22 to 28 degrees. “At the beginning of the new week, the state of the thunderstorm coming from the southwest was announced,” said the meteorologist at the Department of Human Development. (dpa)