'Risk of tornadoes': Germany set to be hit by extreme weather
Thunderstorms and heavy rain are expected on Thursday around Germany, in some cases bringing more extreme weather phenomena with them, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).
DWD spoke of a "severe thunderstorm situation" that would move over Germany on Thursday as the country experiences "sultry to hot subtropical air".
There's also an "increased risk of tornadoes," especially in central Germany, said DWD.
Heavy rainfall is predicted to start in the morning in North Rhine-Westphalia in southern Rhineland-Palatinate, and then slowly move northeastwards to Lower Saxony in the course of the day.
Thunderstorm cells and gale-force winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour could occur in the south and southwest of the country.
DWD added that hailstones of five to seven centimetres in size could also be expected.
The country will see temperatures of 26C in Cologne, 31C in Mainz and 28C in Hanover - cities set to be directly impacted by the heavy downpour.
In the early hours of Friday morning, the storms will fade and it will be mostly dry around the Bundesrepublik.
Additional rainfall is then set to come to the eastern states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg. Amid heavy rain, temperatures in Berlin will drop to a cooler 19C.
The latest extreme weather comes on the back of heavy thunderstorms that struck parts of Germany on Wednesday. In the south of Baden-Württemberg, gail-force winds even caused trees to fall.
In some cities in the southwest, power was temporarily cut off due to damaged power lines. Heavy rain and gusts of wind caused numerous damages and obstructions in Swabia and Lower Bavaria, and fire brigades were called out.
The first heat wave
The head of the DWD's Centre for Medical-Meteorological Research, Andreas Matzarikis, spoke of an "unpleasant weather cocktail" for health on Thursday.
READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about staying cool in a German heatwave
Ozone levels are high in many cases, even if they are below the warning or alarm levels, he said.
"We are seeing the first heat wave across Germany, even if it only lasts two or three days in some areas. And there is a lot of humidity."
The warm and damp temperatures are particularly stressful for the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions, said Matzarikis.
Even without the so-called tropical nights, when the mercury hovers above 20C, sleeping in heated indoor spaces can become problematic, he said.
"It is important to cool the indoors, keep the sun out," Matzarakis said.
He recommended darkening flats - for example by pulling the blinds down - and ventilating during the cooler hours.
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DWD spoke of a "severe thunderstorm situation" that would move over Germany on Thursday as the country experiences "sultry to hot subtropical air".
There's also an "increased risk of tornadoes," especially in central Germany, said DWD.
Heavy rainfall is predicted to start in the morning in North Rhine-Westphalia in southern Rhineland-Palatinate, and then slowly move northeastwards to Lower Saxony in the course of the day.
Thunderstorm cells and gale-force winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour could occur in the south and southwest of the country.
DWD added that hailstones of five to seven centimetres in size could also be expected.
The country will see temperatures of 26C in Cologne, 31C in Mainz and 28C in Hanover - cities set to be directly impacted by the heavy downpour.
In the early hours of Friday morning, the storms will fade and it will be mostly dry around the Bundesrepublik.
Additional rainfall is then set to come to the eastern states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Brandenburg. Amid heavy rain, temperatures in Berlin will drop to a cooler 19C.
The latest extreme weather comes on the back of heavy thunderstorms that struck parts of Germany on Wednesday. In the south of Baden-Württemberg, gail-force winds even caused trees to fall.
In some cities in the southwest, power was temporarily cut off due to damaged power lines. Heavy rain and gusts of wind caused numerous damages and obstructions in Swabia and Lower Bavaria, and fire brigades were called out.
The first heat wave
The head of the DWD's Centre for Medical-Meteorological Research, Andreas Matzarikis, spoke of an "unpleasant weather cocktail" for health on Thursday.
READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about staying cool in a German heatwave
Ozone levels are high in many cases, even if they are below the warning or alarm levels, he said.
"We are seeing the first heat wave across Germany, even if it only lasts two or three days in some areas. And there is a lot of humidity."
The warm and damp temperatures are particularly stressful for the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions, said Matzarikis.
Even without the so-called tropical nights, when the mercury hovers above 20C, sleeping in heated indoor spaces can become problematic, he said.
"It is important to cool the indoors, keep the sun out," Matzarakis said.
He recommended darkening flats - for example by pulling the blinds down - and ventilating during the cooler hours.
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