Germany is once again bracing for hazardous winter weather, with freezing rain, widespread snowfall and strong winds expected from Sunday evening into Monday. After a brief period of calmer conditions, the German Weather Service (DWD) has issued new alerts warning of severe and potentially extreme ice in several regions.
According to the DWD, frost, icy roads and patches of dense fog will persist through Sunday morning. Snowfall will begin moving in from the Alps during the afternoon and is expected to reach the Main River region by late evening. Overnight, snow will spread northward, while parts of eastern Germany face a high risk of freezing rain classified as severe weather. In a broad zone stretching from the Ore Mountains and Lusatia to the Baltic Sea, the DWD says freezing rain is “very likely,” with extreme conditions not ruled out. A preliminary severe weather notice has already been issued.
Icy conditions are also expected from Lower Bavaria across the eastern low mountain ranges into central regions, with freezing rain extending north during the night. South of the Danube, localized ice formation is possible early Monday. The DWD warns that only a slow easing of the ice situation should be expected on Monday, as many surfaces remain frozen. In the northeast, additional significant freezing rain may occur during the morning, with isolated light freezing rain possible later in the day.
Snowfall amounts are forecast to reach 5 to 10 centimeters widely, with some areas seeing around 15 centimeters or more. Local totals of 20 to 25 centimeters are possible in parts of West Franconia and the Swabian Jura. Snowdrifts may develop near the coasts. Temperatures will remain below freezing in many regions on Sunday, ranging from –3 to 0 degrees. Overnight lows into Monday are expected to fall to –5 degrees, and down to –7 degrees in some higher elevations.
Along the coasts, strong to stormy easterly gusts of 55 to 70 km/h are forecast overnight, with winds gradually easing on Monday.
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