Expected weather conditions - Heavy rain and thunderstorms forecasted - persistent rainfall in the southern region.
Saxony-Anhalt residents should brace themselves for heavy rain and thunderstorms over the upcoming weekend. Robert Scholz, a meteorologist at the German Weather Service (DWD), warned on Friday that severe thunderstorms will set in during the latter half of Saturday. The areas affected include parts of southern Saxony-Anhalt and eastern Thuringia, extending to the Leipzig region. Unusually heavy rainfall is predicted to start in the evening, especially in the southern part of the country. The police urge drivers to adjust their speeds on highways and maintain a safe distance between vehicles in light of the adverse conditions.
André Schröder, the district administrator of Mansfeld-Southern Harz in the southern region of the country, urged caution among citizens. He cautioned that with forecasts predicting up to 50 liters of rain per square meter, people should not overlook the destructive potential of water. There is a possibility of roads and manholes being submerged in some areas, although the extent of the damage is not expected to reach that seen during the New Year's flood on the Helme River.
Saturday's Thunderstorms and Heavy Rain
The combination of localized thunderstorms on Saturday and the ongoing rain could lead to a whopping 100 liters of rain per square meter. The potential consequences include flooded roads, overflowing culverts, and cellars overflowing. However, Scholz stressed that the risk of a widespread storm situation across all three federal states is minimal. Strong thunderstorms may give rise to lightning, uprooted trees, and hail and could prompt aquaplaning incidents.
Serious Accidents on A14
On Thursday night, aquaplaning and excessive speed reportedly caused several serious accidents on the A14 between Halle and Wettin-Lobetal. According to the police, five people suffered injuries. Earlier in the day, a car skidded off the road and crashed into a truck parked on the side road before colliding with a guardrail, leaving the driver to lose control of the car, resulting in a collision with the truck. Five other vehicles drove into the accident scene, injuring one person seriously and two others slightly. At the end of the traffic jam, a small truck collided with a truck.
Emergency Responders to the Rescue
Due to substantial rainfall, the fire department in Saxony-Anhalt has already responded to numerous incidents since Thursday. That evening in Altmark, trees were uprooted and cellars flooded, according to the control center. In Schäplitz, a small village within Bismark's municipality, the firefighters helped to remove mud from the village street on Friday. The Salzlandkreis also encountered several incidents, including the flooding of cellars in Nelben, a town part of Kønnern.
Clearing Up on Sunday
DWD expects a more tranquil weather situation on Sunday as the low-pressure system shifts towards Poland. While the weather remains changeable, showers and occasional thunderstorms are predicted. Scholz confirmed that there will be no more storms.
Some rivers are currently carrying higher-than-usual volumes of water; nevertheless, initial high-alarm levels were not anticipated. The Dumme River reached the first flood warning level of high water in Salzwedel's Tylsen district on Thursday night. The water level might still rise slightly at Dumme and Jeetze gauges, per the hydrologist at the LHW Flood Forecasting Center of the Sachsen-Anhalt.
