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WEATHER

November rain: gloomy weather expected across Germany this week

The weather is set to be distinctly cloudy and damp for the next few days, the German Weather Service (DWD) predicts.

Published: 6 November 2017 17:05 CET
November rain: gloomy weather expected across Germany this week
Photo: DPA

The DWD predicts this Monday evening will be mostly cloudy in south and east Germany with some light rain in southeast Bavaria and a chance of snow above 900m.

Temperatures are expected to drop in the night to between 4C and -3C  and there will be widespread frost in the north and west of the country.

Tuesday will be cloudy but this should clear in places in the north and the west of Germany, allowing some sun to shine through. During the day, temperatures will be between 4C and 11C and there is a high chance of rain in Baden-Württemberg. Temperatures in the night will range from 7C on the coast to -1C in the Alps.

On Wednesday, it will be cloudy and overcast, with chillier temperatures ranging from 3C to 9C in the daytime, with some rain falling in central and southern Germany. Thick cloud will start to set in come Wednesday evening and some mist is expected. The air will cool overnight with highs between 0C and 6C and lows of -2C at higher altitudes.

Skies will continue to be overcast on Thursday morning but conditions will stay mostly dry. More widespread rain will begin in the northwest in the afternoon and temperatures will range from 4C to 10C across the country, with some moderate winds blowing in from the west and strong gusts on the coast.

There will be more rain in the northwest on Friday and a few showers across the rest of Germany, but temperatures are predicted to get a little warmer, ranging from 6C to 12C. Heavy winds are to be expected, with strong gusts once again on the coast and high ground.

Saturday is also set to be rather dark and stormy. The clouds should begin to disperse in the northwest over the course of the day, but there will still be occasional thunderstorms and strong winds. Some sleet is also expected, and on higher ground there's a high chance of snowfall. Temperatures for Saturday range from 6C to 11C but will be around 3C in mountain areas. 

More rain and sleet are predicted for Sunday morning, with the possibility of some short thunderstorms and more heavy wind. Snow is also again predicted in the Alps. Temperatures are expected to range from 0C to 6C. 

Good news for next week, however, as the sun is supposed to shine next Monday and thunderstorms are expected to hold off.

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

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