Winter weather in Berlin and Brandenburg
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Slippery conditions due to freezing rain – fire brigade temporarily in a state of emergency
Temperatures around freezing point, icy ground, drizzle: Within a very short time, many streets and sidewalks turned into slides on Thursday evening. Slippery conditions must also be expected on Friday.
- Dangerous ice has formed on many streets and sidewalks in Berlin and Brandenburg since the early evening
- The German Weather Service as well as the police and fire brigade issued warnings
- There have been increased accidents in Berlin and Brandenburg, and the Berlin fire department is talking about a state of emergency
The German Weather Service (DWD) warns of an increased risk of slippery conditions due to freezing wet conditions in Berlin and Brandenburg. Slippery roads and footpaths can be expected until Friday morning. A corresponding warning is valid until 10 a.m. on Friday morning.
When asked, the Berlin police said that there had been a few accidents on Thursday evening due to the lightning ice. However, people had adapted their driving style to the weather, said a spokesman.
There were also several accidents in Potsdam in the evening, the responsible fire department announced on the messenger service X, formerly Twitter.
Fire departments advise staying inside
The Berlin fire department warned via a warning app about “distinctive slippery conditions,” especially on sidewalks. And goes on to say: “If possible, avoid avoidable outdoor activities until further notice.” On the online platform
All available ambulances are in use. The Berlin fire brigade therefore called on the population to go to the doctor or hospital themselves if they have minor injuries and not to call the ambulance. This is also important because the ambulances have to drive significantly slower due to the weather.
It can also be dangerously slippery on Friday
ARD weather expert Torsten Walter told rbb|24 that lightning ice could occur on Thursday, especially in Berlin and in a strip from Havelland to Frankfurt (Oder).
“Drizzle can always fall from the dense blanket of fog, and even this small amount of precipitation can be enough to make the streets and sidewalks dangerously slippery,” Walter told rbb. There are no local focuses. “It can’t really be narrowed down. You can’t rule out this drizzle anywhere in the Berlin-Brandenburg region in the evening and night hours.”
The roads could also be dangerously slippery on Friday, at least in the morning, the ARD weather expert continued: “Tomorrow we are threatened with the same scenario, there is no change in the weather in sight. The temperatures only rise towards freezing point. During the day there is no longer any risk of slippery conditions as it is now and during the night. But until the morning it can get slippery again here and there,” says Walter.
Broadcast: rbb24 Inforadio, January 11, 2024, 5 p.m