After the heatwave came the thunderstorms: Southern Germany was struck by violent storms on Tuesday evening and Wednesday, following days of intense heat. Several people were injured in Nuremberg, one of them seriously by a falling tree. In Reutlingen, power was briefly cut off. The German Weather Service (DWD) expects further thunderstorms in the coming days.
An extreme weather situation developed very suddenly in Nuremberg and the surrounding area on Tuesday evening, the fire department in the Bavarian city reported. Within five hours, the integrated control centre received a record number of around 3,000 emergency calls. The fire department carried out around 1,100 operations due to fallen trees, flooded basements, flooded streets and roof damage. Numerous traffic accidents also occurred.
Several people were injured. According to reports, one person was struck by a falling tree and taken to hospital with serious injuries. Nuremberg Airport was also affected. There, the fire department said, storm damage to buildings, flooding caused by heavy rain, and damage to infrastructure had to be cleared. Flight operations were temporarily suspended.
In Reutlingen, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, power was partially and temporarily cut off, the local fire department reported. Heavy rain and hail also caused drainage shafts to overflow and roads to flood in places. There were no reports of injuries.
Severe weather has been moving across Germany since Monday, initially affecting mainly the north on Monday and Tuesday. For Wednesday, the German Weather Service continues to expect an elevated risk of thunderstorms in the south, particularly in the area stretching from the Swabian Jura eastward, south of the Danube, to the Alps south of Munich. Severe thunderstorms with large hailstones, hurricane-force gusts and heavy rain could form, mainly in the afternoon and evening.
In the southwest, it will remain hot, with a high heat burden. However, this is only expected to last until Thursday, according to the Weather Service. After that, isolated thunderstorms could return. On Friday, a change in air mass will take place, marking the definitive end of the current heatwave. However, thunderstorms are expected to return widely, and these could turn out "quite severe."
From breaking news to thought-provoking opinion pieces, our newsletter keeps you informed & engaged.
By subscribing, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
