Thunderstorms and heavy rain - Lightning strikes and flooding in many places: Storms sweep across Germany
On Fridays, numerous thunderstorms in wide parts of Germany are mainly concentrated in the south and east – Thunderstorms are expected only occasionally in other areas. Around midday, one should reckon with active thunderstorms in the east, southeast, and south, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).
On Thursdays, heavy rain and thunderstorms in large parts of Germany led to numerous interventions by the fire department due to lightning strikes and flooding, as well as traffic disruptions. Affected areas included North Rhine-Westphalia, Thuringia, Hesse, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Baden-Württemberg.
At Tostedt, south of Hamburg, heavy thunderstorms on Thursday caused flooding on the tracks. The railway line between Hamburg and Bremen was therefore temporarily closed. Traffic resumed early in the morning on Friday, but at a slower pace. The track was now drivable again, but only at reduced speed, according to a spokesperson for Deutsche Bahn. This resulted in delays of approximately 15 minutes. It remained unclear when regular service would resume.
Railway lines are closed
In Baden-Württemberg, several railway lines had to be interrupted due to weather damage. DB Regio announced on Thursday evening via the platform X that the section between Herbertingen (Landkreis Sigmaringen) and Aulendorf north of Lake Constance was closed. The closure was initially indefinite. It was predicted that there would be no train traffic there until Saturday.
A closure due to an uprooted tree between Crailsheim and Schwaebisch Hall-Hessental, according to statements from a Deutsche Bahn spokesperson, had been lifted by late evening. The S-Bahn Stuttgart also reported restricted train traffic between Rohr and Boblingen on Thursday evening. The line was only single-tracked due to a tree and branches in the track bed. The track was then reportedly regular again at night. However, the S1 was still running somewhat delayed, according to the S-Bahn Stuttgart at night.
On Friday mornings, only scattered thunderstorms, locally limited to heavy rain, were expected in the southeastern and central regions of the states. In the course of the day, meteorologists forecast thunderstorms in the east, southeast, and south. In the southern half, there is a possibility of individual powerful thunderstorms until evening and into Saturday. In small areas, heavy rain with up to 25 liters per square meter, storm gusts, and gusty winds, as well as small hail, are possible. Isolated thunderstorms with heavy rain are not excluded in small areas, especially in the Erzgebirge, the Lusatia region, eastern and southern Bavaria, and southern Baden-Württemberg.
- In Local news, Hesse and other southern and eastern regions of Germany are preparing for numerous anticipated thunderstorms this Friday, as reported by the German Weather Service (DWD).
- Yesterday, due to the heavy thunderstorms, flooding and traffic disruptions occurred in various areas such as Lower Saxony, Hesse, Hamburg, and Bremen.
- German Railways (Deutsche Bahn) had to temporarily close the railway line between Hamburg and Bremen due to flooding at Tostedt, causing delays of approximately 15 minutes.
- This morning, train traffic resumed between Hamburg and Bremen, but at a slower pace, according to DB's spokesperson, following the heavy thunderstorms that hit Tostedt, south of Hamburg.
- In Baden-Württemberg, several railway lines were closed due to weather damage, including the section between Herbertingen and Aulendorf north of Lake Constance, causing significant disruptions to train services.
- Elsewhere in Germany, Lightning strikes and flooding have led to numerous interventions by the fire department, causing top news headlines across the country.
- Despite the potential risks of thunderstorms and flooding, DWD expects scattered thunderstorms only in the southeastern and central regions on Friday mornings, potentially escalating into powerful storms by evening.
- Thuringia, Lusatia region, eastern and southern Bavaria, and southern Baden-Württemberg are among the areas with the highest risk of isolated thunderstorms and flooding due to heavy rain and storm gusts.
