Severe Weather Causes Disruptions in Europe
Thunderstorms Across France and Germany
This Thursday, powerful storms broke out from the northwest to the southeast of France, with areas extending from Occitanie to Champagne threatened by hail. The temperature differences were significant: from 17°C along the Channel to 40°C in Corsica, according to La Chaîne Météo.
In the morning, strong storms emerged between New Aquitaine and the PACA region, while the sky remained very cloudy in the north, with better clearings in the northwest. Temperatures ranged from 9 to 27°C. By the afternoon, clearing periods returned from the Garonne valley to the Gulf of Lion, while strong storms continued to develop over the Pyrenees, the Central massif, and the Alps. Violent storms were also forecast from the northwest to the Center-Val de Loire and the Paris basin, with temperatures ranging from 17 to 40°C.
In the evening, strong storms persisted from Normandy to Brittany and on the southern hills, with the sky elsewhere divided between clouds and clearings. Thunderstorms are expected to continue on the east facade this Friday and could extend into the evening, coinciding with the music festival. A new disturbance is anticipated further west in the Breton region, while the weather in between will be drier and more peaceful.
Meanwhile, severe thunderstorms also caused problems in Germany during the European Football Championship. Several fan zones were closed due to the risk of severe weather. Although the weather calmed down on Wednesday night, the German Weather Service (DWD) lifted all severe weather warnings, but the threat of further strong thunderstorms remains.
The thunderstorms on Tuesday affected regions in a broad strip in the middle of Germany from west to east. Severe weather warnings were in effect for several regions in Thuringia, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Brandenburg. Fan zones were closed in several federal states, including Dortmund and Leipzig, due to the threat of bad weather. Hailstones damaged cars and corrugated iron roofs in the south of Thuringia, and several fire brigade operations were triggered by strong gusts of wind in the district of Meißen in Saxony.
In Grevenbroich, North Rhine-Westphalia, heavy rainfall caused cars to get stuck in flooded underpasses, and water in basements reached up to a meter high. In Brandenburg, passengers on a Eurocity train to Prague were stranded due to a damaged overhead line caused by a fallen tree. The risk of severe weather in Germany has not yet been completely averted, with potential for heavy rain and thunderstorms in some areas.
- The weather disruptions across Europe highlight the unpredictability and severity of summer storms. Residents and travelers are advised to stay informed about weather updates and take necessary precautions to ensure their safety.
- In both France and Germany, the authorities have been proactive in issuing warnings and taking measures to minimize the impact of the storms. The collaboration between meteorological services and emergency responders has been crucial in managing the situation and preventing major damages.
