Initial damage from "Zoltan" - but the storm surge is yet to come

The authorities are warning of severe storm surges in northern Germany for the night and Friday morning. But low pressure system "Zoltan" is already showing its strength - with fallen trees and numerous train cancellations, closed Christmas markets and dozens of fire department deployments.

Storm "Zoltan" has reached Germany - travelers by train and ship have already felt the first effects. In the evening, there were many cancellations for Deutsche Bahn, especially in the north. The Fehmarnsund Bridge was completely closed. Trees fell in Lower Saxony and Christmas markets were closed. Fire departments prepared for operations on Friday night.

Meanwhile, people on the Elbe, Weser and Ems had to prepare for severe storm surges. The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency predicted a severe storm surge in Hamburg on Friday night. The water of the Elbe could rise 2.0 to 2.5 meters above mean high water - at the St. Pauli gauge, that is 4.12 to 4.62 meters above sea level. The risk of storm surge is expected to last until around 11.25 pm. The Federal Office forecast another severe storm surge on the Elbe, Weser and Ems for Friday morning. Water levels are expected to rise to more than 2.5 meters above mean high water between 8 a.m. and 12 noon.

The storm surge is triggered by the fact that the wind is currently blowing consistently strong from one direction and thus damming up the water on the North Sea coast. "Once the tidal wave has passed the North Sea islands, it will run up the rivers in its wake," said Jennifer Brauch from the authority's North Sea and Baltic Sea forecasting services. The Hamburg police warned against staying in low-lying areas around the Elbe during the expected storm surge.

Low pressure system "Zoltan", internationally known as "Pia", had already moved from the North Atlantic and the North Sea to Germany this morning with its fronts and main storm field. As a result, squalls will continue to increase during the course of the day, as ntv meteorologist Björn Alexander explained. At midday, wind speeds of 140 kilometers per hour were already measured on Spiekeroog. On the Brocken in the Harz Mountains, it stormed with winds of up to 137 km/h. According to Alexander, the cold front will follow in the evening and during the night with a surge of cold polar air. As the cold front passes through, the heaviest gusts of wind for the time being threaten with the peak of "Zoltan".

Ferries and trains canceled

Many ferries between the Halligen islands and the mainland were already canceled on Thursday, according to the Wyker Dampfschiffs-Reederei shipping company. A special timetable applies for other ferries on Friday. Ferry services between Rostock and Gedser in Denmark were also suspended.

The effects are greater for the railroads, which already have more passengers than usual due to the upcoming public holidays. A number of Deutsche Bahn's long-distance services were canceled; for example, at times no trains ran on the important connection from Berlin to Hanover, as could be seen on DB's online information channels. Regional and long-distance trains were canceled at Hamburg Central Station.

Storm "Zoltan" has already resulted in many call-outs for the fire department. There was initial damage in Bremen and Wilhelmshaven. According to the fire department, a 15-metre-high tree fell next to a bus stop in the Hanseatic city. No one was injured. In the south of Brandenburg, the emergency services counted around 68 call-outs from the afternoon until the early evening hours. In Berlin, one person was injured by a fallen tree in the Hakenfelde district of Spandau, according to a spokesperson.

Tree crashes into regional train

In North Rhine-Westphalia, continuous rain and storms left their mark. A tree crashed onto a regional train in Willebadessen near Paderborn. According to the police, the train with its 200 passengers was unable to continue its journey and had to be cleared on the open track. In Bielefeld, 60 firefighters and technical relief workers were called out to a horse farm due to the incessant rain.

The weather also had an impact on many a Christmas market. In North Rhine-Westphalia, several Christmas markets remained closed on Thursday as a precautionary measure, for example in Essen and Duisburg. Düsseldorf closed in the afternoon. On Lake Tegernsee, two Christmas markets in Rottach-Egern and Bad Wiessee (both in the district of Miesbach) were unable to open on Friday due to the high wind speeds, while parks and cemeteries in many towns remained closed until Saturday.

The storm also made itself felt in other countries. In Great Britain, the storm has already caused problems for travelers. Schools on the Shetland Islands remained closed. In some places, trees fell or the power went out. There were also temporary restrictions on air and rail travel. In Denmark, some flights from Copenhagen Airport were canceled, as were trains in the west of the Jutland region.

The German Weather Service is forecasting gusts of 90 to 110 kilometers per hour for the North Sea and Baltic coasts on Friday morning, with even stronger gale-force gusts possible. Storm "Zoltan" is also continuing to cause problems for the rest of the country. Although the wind will initially weaken there on Friday, it will freshen up again in the second half of the day.