Heavy thunderstorms cover Germany
Lightning strikes every minute, Thunderbolts, Hailstones: Storm fronts seek Germany, Mile markers are being closed, the German team's quarterfinals are disrupted. Particularly powerful, it rages over Saarbrücken.
In the night leading to Sunday, it heavily rained and lightning struck in wide parts of Germany. Particularly in the west and southwest, heavy rain and hailstones fell from the sky. The wind blew with speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour over the land, almost hurricane strength (103 km/h), reported the German Weather Service (DWD). Saarbrücken was particularly affected. An impressive storm front with a leading shelf cloud, a low-hanging, horizontally oriented arcus cloud, caused an awe-inspiring and at the same time threatening sight in the night sky. Lightning struck every second, some lightning struck the ground. Shortly thereafter, heavy rain fell to the ground.
The Achtelfinal match of the Football European Championship between Germany and Denmark in Dortmund was temporarily interrupted in the evening due to the thunderstorm. Powerful lightning bolts were visible above the stadium, hail and heavy rain fell on the pitch. Torrential rainwater ran off the roof of the Dortmund stadium onto the front rows of spectators. After a 25-minute enforced break, the game continued. The public viewing events in Dortmund were prematurely cancelled due to the danger posed by the thunderstorm to the fans, it was stated as the reason. In Frankfurt am Main, the fan mile had already been closed in advance.
At Dortmund main station, the storm also caused problems. According to the Federal Police, lightning struck the railway line between Dortmund and Hamm in the evening. No one was injured, but the line was temporarily closed. It was later reopened after an inspection. At the main station, there were no major damages. In Oberhausen, a lightning strike hit the roof of a residential building and caused a fire. The fire was extinguished, but the residents could not return to their homes yet, as the fire department reported.
Various events fall into the water
The SWR3 Rheinland-Pfalz Open Air concert in Mainz had to be cancelled in the evening due to the storm. Nearly 10,000 people had come to the event site at the Großer Bleiche in Mainz by that time. Around the city, as well as in Wiesbaden and the Saarland, the fire department had to be called out more frequently due to the storm. Major damages were not yet known.
Even though heavy rain falls: A so-called heavy thunderstorm situation like this night occurs, according to statements from a meteorologist at the DWD, "only one to two times a year in Germany". Over the night, the storm moved further towards the northeast.
In the particularly affected areas, the DWD expected up to 40 liters of rainwater per square meter in a short time, sometimes even 50 to 80 liters in a few hours.
The European Football Championship 2024 quarterfinals involving a German team might face disruptions due to the forecast of extreme weather conditions. The German Weather Service has issued a warning for heavy rain, thunderstorms, and hail in various parts of Germany, including potential extreme weather events.
