Normal school operations despite the danger of lightning ice and warnings in BW – SWR Aktuell

On Wednesday, people in Baden-Württemberg have to be prepared for very slippery roads. Especially in the region around Mannheim and Heidelberg, but also in the rest of the country. The Federal Office for Civil Protection published a corresponding storm warning.

The German Weather Service (DWD) also warns of dangerous black ice formation in the country. Accordingly, it will be starry on Wednesday night and therefore very cold. In the morning, clouds are expected to gather from which freezing rain could fall. “In the morning, the whole of Baden-Württemberg could be covered by black ice rain,” said DWD meteorologist Marco Puckert.

According to the DWD, rush hour traffic around 8 a.m. can become dangerously slippery throughout Baden-Württemberg. In the north it could also snow in some areas. There is also a strong wind howling in the Black Forest. The highest level 4 severe weather warning for the northern edge of Baden-Württemberg has now been lifted. It continues to apply to parts of the neighboring federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Culture points out on its website that school attendance is compulsory despite the black ice. Disturbances on the way to school should be taken into account if possible.

The ministry continues that anyone who cannot come to school due to disruptions in local or long-distance public transport and does not have alternative transport options can stay at home and does not have to attend face-to-face classes. This also applies if the route to school is impossible due to weather conditions. In this case, the school must be informed.

For example, the Mannheim school district said on Tuesday evening that in the event of a storm, parents should decide individually whether they want to send their child to school.

According to Deutsche Bahn, there will be disruptions in ICE traffic between Paris and Germany on Wednesday due to the winter weather in France. The ICE long-distance connections between Stuttgart and Paris as well as between Frankfurt (Main) and Mannheim and Paris are affected, according to the railway’s website.

In general, rail travelers have to be prepared for restrictions nationwide. As a spokeswoman said, the railway is preparing “intensively” for the announced weather conditions. According to the railway, employees in the affected regions were ready, for example to clear switches or to ensure traffic safety at level crossings. Clearance vehicles and heavy locomotives are available at strategically important points in the rail network.

According to the railway, the train connection was lifted for all long-distance trains on Wednesday. Anyone who would like to postpone their trip due to the onset of winter can use their ticket at a later date, it said on the website.

Flights are canceled at Stuttgart Airport due to the weather. A spokeswoman for the airport said Lufthansa had canceled its feeder flights from Stuttgart to Frankfurt and Munich as a precaution. Three flights to Frankfurt and three back as well as one flight to and from Munich are affected. According to information from Tuesday, there were initially no further deletions.

There could also be changes at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport. The early departures to Porto and London are currently taking place, a spokesman said. However, passengers are advised to allow enough time for a safe journey under these weather conditions.

Germany’s largest airport in Frankfurt am Main expects severely restricted air traffic on Wednesday. Massive snowfall and freezing rain are to be expected. Passengers should check the status of their flight in advance and not travel if it is canceled. Restrictions are also expected at Munich Airport, as a spokeswoman for the airport said.

The country’s road maintenance departments are preparing for the weather. In the Enzkreis 16 vehicles have been working in several shifts since Monday to clear the roads of snow and ice. According to a spokesman for the Enz district, the winter service workers will be working with a rock salt mixture until the weather conditions have calmed down.

In Rastatt The particularly dangerous roads have already been prepared so that there is already a certain layer of salt before the regular winter service tour comes by next time. The Karlsruhe Transport companies are already spraying the overhead lines with glycerin to prevent them from icing over. Teams will be on call for Wednesday to de-ice overhead lines if necessary.

The Freiburg Verkehrs AG (VAG) says it is well prepared for such storms. All trams and buses should run as planned. The VAG winter service clears and grits the tram stops in the morning. In order to prevent the overhead line from freezing, trains would run through the network all night long, according to a VAG spokesman.

In the district Tübingen The roads will be sprinkled with wet salt overnight. A total of 10 vehicles will be in use from 7 p.m. to midnight, then again from 3 a.m. until the danger of black ice has passed.

Im probably very badly affected Rhine-Neckar district All available gritting vehicles will be on the road from early morning. The fire department Heidelberg has also equipped an entire fire engine with snow chains as a precaution so that they can be deployed quickly in an emergency.

In the region Heilbronn Franconia Snow is expected from 6 a.m. in addition to the slippery weather. The road maintenance department there and in Main-Tauber district have already prepared. All vehicles will be on the road, according to the head of the road maintenance department.

The German Red Cross Tübingen is also preparing for the black ice: if necessary, patient transports could be postponed in order to treat injured people as quickly as possible. In addition, the volunteers are on standby. In an emergency, the Tübingen Accident Clinic can care for more patients than usual.

The clinics in Öhringen (Hohenlohekreis) and Heilbronn admitted more patients with fall injuries at the beginning of the week. We prepared accordingly for Wednesday. Medical care is guaranteed.

The Heidelberg Zoo has also already taken precautions: it will remain closed on Wednesday. “We don’t want to take any risks, so we are closing the zoo to visitors tomorrow. The zookeepers will of course continue to look after our animals,” said zoo director Klaus Wünnemann on Tuesday.

SWR weather expert Michael Kost also sees Wednesday as a “chaotic weather day. It starts with snow and then turns into freezing rain.” In addition, it will be between five and eight degrees warmer. “This transition from cold to warm air is the real problem.” If freezing rain hits frozen roads, dangerous lightning ice can occur.

On the way home in the evening, people can be more relaxed again. Because then it gets milder and the ice starts to thaw. According to SWR weather expert Kost, the next cold front will come to Baden-Württemberg on Thursday. “Then the rain turns back into snow.”