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Heavy snow paralyses parts of southern Germany

Heavy snowfall brought chaos to parts of southern Germany on Saturday, with air and rail traffic blocked in the Bavarian state capital of Munich.

Published: 2 December 2023 13:48 CET
Heavy snow paralyses parts of southern Germany
A display reading "Stadium is closed" is seen in Munich on December 2nd 2023. Photo: Alexandra Beier/AFP.

After first suspending flights until noon Saturday (1100 GMT), Munich airport later said it would remain closed until 6:00 am (0500 GMT) on Sunday. In total, 760 flights were affected, a spokesperson told AFP.

More than 40 centimetres (16 inches) of snow fell overnight Friday to Saturday, according to weather services. Authorities asked residents to stay home for their safety.

The winter weather also disrupted train traffic, with rail operator Deutsche Bahn saying “The main Munich station cannot be served”. Deutsche Bahn said travellers should expect delays and cancellations throughout the region, and most buses, trams and suburban trains were not running in Munich.

Saturday’s planned football championship match between Bayern Munich and Union Berlin has been called off.

Police in Lower Bavaria said they made 350 interventions linked to the weather Friday night, with five people slightly injured in car accidents.   

Much of Germany has been subject to snow and freezing temperatures for several days.

According to weather forecasts, the largest quantities of snow are expected Saturday in Allgau in the south of Bavaria, with another 30 to 40 centimetres. The snowfall is expected to progressively ease in the afternoon.

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WEATHER

Essential articles to help you survive a heatwave in Germany

Thursday is set to be a scorcher with temperatures above 30C predicted in many German cities. During intense heat, it's important to find ways to cool off. We've compiled a list of some recent articles to help you stay cool during the heatwave.

Published: 13 August 2024 12:18 CEST
Updated: 29 August 2024 10:56 CEST
Essential articles to help you survive a heatwave in Germany

It’s been a summer of extremes in Germany with both heatwaves and heavy rainfall recurring quite often across much of the country.

Thursday is set to be the hottest day of the year in the German capital, according to the German Weather Service (DWD), with expected temperatures in Berlin up to 35C.

The DWD also has heat warnings in place across most of the middle of the country – from Stuttgart to Frankfurt to Hamburg to Dresden.

Generally high temperatures will range from the low to mid 30s in most of the country, with the exception of the North Sea coast which will remain cooler.

The weather is expected to cool off a bit on Friday and into the weekend, but will remain quite warm in many places.

Here’s a roundup of our reporting on tips for escaping the heat, or otherwise dealing with it in the German fashion:

beach near Cuxhaven

Beach chairs line the shore in Cuxhaven. Germany’s northern coast tends to be the country’s coolest region during heatwaves. Photo by FOCKE STRANGMANN / AFP

Many German cities have developed a ‘heat plan’, for developing better ways to protect citizens from dangerously high temperatures and provide more cool spaces. But some cities are well ahead of others in terms of converting concrete covered ‘sealed’ spaces to green spaces (which is among the best ways to cool a city centre).

Today is the day to ditch work for a Hitzefrei (a heat-free day) if there ever was one. As Rachel Loxton explains, German workers often take a break from work on particularly hot days. In some cases, it may even be your legal right: workplace regulations stipulate that room temperatures should not exceed 26C. So if you’re sweltering in an office with no A/C, consider taking a tip from the locals and walking out ‘heat-free’.

If you do succeed in getting off for Hitzefrei, or otherwise have the day free, your next question may be, ‘Where can I go to cool off?’ In many German cities, the best option could be your closest lake. Readers of The Local told us about their favourite lakes to visit, as well as some good tips for making the most out of a lake day.

If you don’t mind travelling a bit further, we’ve rounded up some of Germany’s coolest destinations, all of which can make for a good day or weekend trips, especially during a summer heatwave.

When you have a bit more time for travel, there are plenty of potential vacation destinations around Germany that may be more enjoyable than Spain, Italy or Greece when the temperatures are running near all time highs. 

Lastly, after you’ve done what you can to find a cool place and chill out, here’s a quick guide to some simple and interesting German phrases for talking about the hot weather.

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