Slippery roads and rail problems in the southwest

Winter weather - Slippery roads and rail problems in the southwest

Drivers and pedestrians in Baden-Württemberg must be prepared for roads and paths that are slippery in places on Monday evening and during the night into Tuesday. A spokesperson for the German Weather Service (DWD) in Stuttgart said that rainfall was possible in the north of Württemberg at first, and then towards midnight on the Alb and in the south. If it rains in the frost, it means black ice, he said. "It only takes a few thick drops to lose grip," said the spokesperson.

While the situation is easing in the Upper Rhine Graben, there may be dangerous black ice rain in the evening, especially east of the Odenwald and Pforzheim. There could be one liter of precipitation per hour on the Hohenlohe plain alone. According to the spokesman, that would be enough for a one millimeter thick layer of ice.

Around midnight, freezing rain and black ice could also be expected along the Bavarian border as well as on the Alb and in Upper Swabia. On Tuesday morning, there was still a risk of freezing rain around Heidenheim and from Ulm to Lake Constance. Here in particular, drivers had to be careful in rush-hour traffic.

The icy situation will ease on Tuesday afternoon. The DWD expects milder temperatures. It should be up to two degrees on the Baar and up to almost nine degrees on the Rhine, according to reports. In the Black Forest, it may snow again above 600 meters, otherwise there will be some rain in places. According to the spokesperson, however, this is normal winter weather again.

Rail travelers also have to be prepared for further problems. Following the onset of winter in southern Germany, delays and train cancellations are expected to continue until the middle of the week, Deutsche Bahn announced on Monday morning. According to a Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman in Stuttgart, restrictions and cancellations are still being experienced in the very south of Baden-Württemberg in particular.

Traffic on the Gäubahn between Stuttgart and Singen had been resumed with individual long-distance trains. However, the railroad company expected the train service to be very limited at first. Passengers should always check the railroad's website before setting off, said the spokeswoman.

The icy conditions caused considerable traffic disruption in Baden-Württemberg on Monday. The Karlsruhe police reported black ice and slippery roads. Fortunately, the authorities were not initially aware of any accidents in the relevant area.

There was an accident between two trucks on the Feldberg Pass near Todtnau (Lörrach district) on Monday afternoon. At least one person was injured. It could not initially be ruled out that the cause of the accident was related to the snowy weather.

On Monday morning, two schoolgirls fell into the Feuersee lake in the Vaihingen district of Stuttgart after the ice collapsed underneath them. The girls rescued themselves from the cold water, according to the fire department. The emergency services took them to a children's hospital with hypothermia. The Stuttgart fire department warned against walking on icy surfaces. These are currently very unstable, they said.

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1. The DWD in Stuttgart predicts potential rain in northern Württemberg, which could lead to black ice on roads, especially in the Odenwald and Pforzheim area.
2. The Hohenlohe plain could receive up to one liter of precipitation per hour, resulting in a one millimeter thick layer of ice, making roads even more treacherous.
3. Rail travelers in Baden-Württemberg should expect continued delays and cancellations until the middle of the week, as reported by Deutsche Bahn's spokesperson in Stuttgart.
4. The situation in Upper Swabia and along the Bavarian border may see freezing rain and black ice towards midnight, adding to the existing icy conditions.
5. Deutsche Bahn warned of very limited train service on the Gäubahn between Stuttgart and Singen, advising passengers to check their train's status before departure.
6. Despite warmer temperatures predicted for Tuesday afternoon, continued rain and potential snowfall in the Black Forest could pose challenges for drivers, reinforcing the importance of caution and awareness on the roads of Baden-Württemberg and the Southwest.

Source: www.stern.de