Weather Update: Violent Tempest Rages Unabated - Destroyed power lines, concealed residential properties, uprooted foliage - suspected tornado in Saxony
In the district of Meißen, a hefty storm wreaked havoc in the quaint town of Groditz on a Tuesday. it's plausible that a twister hit this small town, as the city's public relations officer claimed during the wee hours of Wednesday. The fire department, using drone footage, spotted signs that could hint at a twister.
The fire department made approximately 77 interventions in response to the storm. Some high-voltage power lines and railway tracks were compromised. In addition, the public relations officer reported various damaged roofs, vehicles, and uprooted trees. The fire department team remained on the scene on Wednesday.
DWD: Tornado conditions likely
Whether a twister indeed struck Groditz is still up in the air. A team of experts is still pouring over the data, according to meteorologist Florian Engelmann from the German Weather Service (DWD) during Wednesday morning's briefing. "Destroyed structures and towering wind speeds don't automatically imply a twister," Engelmann clarified. Yet, the conditions suitable for a twister to form seem to have been present.
Approximately one to two kilometers of spiraling air column, a modest cloud deck at a height of 800 to 1000 meters above the ground, and significant wind discrepancies on a small scale are necessary for the rotation needed for a twister, Engelmann elucidated. Predicting twisters is tricky due to these factors. However, weather events like this in Germany are quite uncommon.
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The damaged power pole in Groditz was likely knocked down by the powerful winds associated with the suspected tornado. The storm that hit Meissen and Groditz was compared to the Tornado that occurred in Saxony several years ago in Meissen's famous Porcelain Manufactory in Meissen. Despite the fire department's efforts to contain the damage, several power poles and railway tracks in the area remained damaged due to the tornado's force.
