storm warning
Heavy rain, hail, squalls: violent thunderstorms are moving across parts of Germany
Something is brewing: severe storms are brewing in large parts of Germany, like here in Duisburg
© Christoph Reichwein / DPA
After the nice start to May, things are likely to get uncomfortable in the next few days. Storms threaten especially in the southwest and in the middle of Germany. According to the weather service, thunderstorms with heavy rain, hail and squalls are possible.
Storms are approaching over North Rhine-Westphalia
The German Weather Service registered the first focal points on Thursday afternoon in the Eifel, the Bergisches Land as well as in Cologne and Düsseldorf, according to the German Weather Service in Essen. In the afternoon in Dahlem in the Eifel, 36 liters per square meter were measured within one hour, and in Wuppertal there were 26 liters per hour per square meter.
The consequences on Thursday were initially not too serious for NRW. A spokesman for the Cologne fire department said early in the evening that the first of two expected thunderstorms had now passed and that there was no particular emergency response.
Heavy rain may last until Friday
The greatest danger comes from heavy rain, which can sometimes last for several hours. Precipitation of up to 50 liters per square meter is possible within a few hours. The DWD cited a line that currently extends from North Rhine-Westphalia to Bavaria and only slowly moves northeastwards, which separates moist and cool air in the southwest from significantly warmer air in the rest of Germany. Thunderstorms form along this low-pressure channel – where exactly cannot be determined in advance.
According to meteorologists, the thunderstorms will subside over the course of Friday, and in the west there could be rainfall of up to 35 liters per square meter within six hours until the morning. As Friday progressed, they announced thunderstorms with heavy rain, but expected slightly lower amounts of precipitation, stormy gusts and hail from Lusatia across eastern Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to Schleswig-Holstein.
Weather map: Where it is currently raining
The interactive map below shows where precipitation is currently falling. You can also view the forecast for a later date using the timeline at the bottom of the graphic. At the top right, the level displayed can also be changed to, for example, temperature or wind.
The service is provided by Windy.com. The makers use the model from the “European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts” for their representations and forecasts.