Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

WEATHER

Weekend warmth waves goodbye as cooler week begins

After a sunny Saturday and Sunday, Germany is in for a decidedly less summery start to the workweek. Rain, clouds and cooler temperatures are in the forecast by the German Weather Service (DWD).

Published: 4 September 2011 15:24 CEST
Weekend warmth waves goodbye as cooler week begins
Photo: DPA

Meteorologists in Offenbach are predicting a cloudy Monday, with rain primarily to the south and east of the country. Further northwest, Germans could see a bit of sun, but fall is in the forecast, with temperatures ranging between 18 and 23 degrees Celsius.

Overnight, the DWD forecasts a break in the rain, making room for fog in the nighttime hours. Temperatures are set to drop even further to between 13 and 7 degrees, with milder weather along the coast.

A hint of the weekend sun is due to make an appearance on Tuesday, but the clouds are also expected to roll in over northwestern Germany, bringing rain in the afternoon. The DWD predicts a mix of sun and clouds to the south and east, with temperatures hovering between 17 and 23 degrees Celsius.

Those areas are among the few that will see some sun on Wednesday, with clouds in the forecast for the rest of the country and plenty of rain in central Germany.

By midweek, temperatures are due to settle between 16 and 21 degrees.

DAPD/arp

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

FLOODS

German communities brace for flooding as water levels continue to rise

Water levels on the Elbe and Oder rivers in Germany are rising, sparking preparations for floods as the clean-up across central Europe gets underway.

Published: 19 September 2024 10:12 CEST
German communities brace for flooding as water levels continue to rise

As several countries in Europe face the devastating aftermath of severe flooding following torrential rain, communities in some regions of Germany are trying to manage rising water levels. 

According to a forecast by the state flood centre, the water on the Elbe river has not yet reached expected peaks. In the city of Dresden, the Elbe rose above the six-metre mark on Wednesday. There, as well as in Schöna on the border with the Czech Republic, the flood peak is expected on Thursday.

There is a cautious all-clear along other rivers in the east and south of Germany. Further north, however, Brandenburg is looking anxiously at the Oder river, which is expected to bring more water in the coming days.

READ ALSO: Parts of Germany hit by flooding as torrential rain wreaks havoc across central Europe

Flood crisis teams are due to meet in Frankfurt (Oder), located at the border with Poland, and other municipalities in Brandenburg on Thursday. A level 1 flood alert was issued for sections of the river on Wednesday.

According to the State Office for the Environment, floodplains and meadows close to the banks are expected to start flooding, with the areas of the Oder village of Ratzdorf to Eisenhüttenstadt particularly affected.

The state office believes the highest alert level – level 4 – with a water level of around six metres will be reached in the next few days near Ratzdorf, where the Oder reaches Brandenburg territory.

Clean-up work underway in central and eastern Europe

In the flood-hit areas from Poland to the Czech Republic and Austria, the clean-up work has now begun, but the situation is only slowly easing.

In many places, the emergency services are still struggling with masses of water. Soldiers are also providing support in Poland and the Czech Republic. However, the authorities are not yet giving the all-clear. So far, more than 20 people have tragically lost their lives in the region due to the extreme weather.

In the Polish city of Wroclaw in the west of the country, the flood wave was not expected until Thursday night. As several tributaries that also carry a lot of water flow into the Oder between Olawa and Wroclaw, the possibility of flooding in the Lower Silesian metropolis cannot be ruled out, said an expert.

Flooding in Bresgau Poland

A drone captures the high water levels in Bresgau, Poland, on September 19th. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/PAP | Maciej Kulczynski

Flood defences in Wroclaw have been reinforced as a precautionary measure. One third of the city of 630,000 inhabitants was flooded during the Oder flood in 1997.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to visit Poland on Thursday afternoon. According to the EU Commission, the trip is being organised at the invitation of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, his Slovakian counterpart Robert Fico and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer are also expected to attend the meeting.

The talks are likely to focus on the question of funds from Brussels for reconstruction although the extent of the damage is still unclear.

With reporting from DPA

SHOW COMMENTS