In large parts of Germany, heavy snowfalls and black ice are affecting people’s everyday lives. The German Weather Service (DWD) in Offenbach issued several severe weather warnings for this Wednesday. The center and south of the country are said to be particularly affected by heavy snowfall and extreme black ice, as the DWD announced.
According to the DWD, a “full-blown storm situation due to snow and sometimes extreme black rain” is expected to develop from the southwest from the second half of the night on Wednesday. The weather service warned of partly extreme black ice for Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Thuringia and Saxony. Significant impacts on the infrastructure are expected, such as “massive ice accretion on objects, on roads and in the vegetation”.
Central Germany will be particularly affected by heavy snowfall on Wednesday. For parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse, the DWD warned of the danger that trees could collapse under the weight of snow.
Air traffic severely restricted
Frankfurt Airport is expecting numerous flight cancellations on Wednesday due to the announced snowfall. The operating company Fraport said that only severely limited air traffic could take place until Thursday. In large parts of Hesse, 15 to 30 centimeters of snow is expected to fall in 12 to 24 hours, higher amounts cannot be ruled out.
Due to the forecast weather conditions, Saarbrücken Airport will also completely stop its flight operations on Wednesday. This was announced by the airport spokesman. Restrictions on flight operations are still possible on Thursday.
The DWD warns of “significant traffic disruptions and the risk of snow breakage”. There are also persistent and sometimes heavy snowfalls north of the Main. On Thursday, snow is only expected to fall in southern Germany.
Serious accidents on the roads
Icy temperatures caused slippery roads in Germany on Tuesday night. A 28-year-old man died in an accident in Oderwitz in the Görlitz district of Saxony. His car left the slippery road and crashed into two trees.
In Lower Saxony there were several closures on motorways on Tuesday due to accidents involving trucks, the police announced. Several people were injured. In Brandenburg, the police counted dozens of collisions. There are also said to have been injuries.
But it’s not just parts of Germany that are having a hard time with all the snow – the weather has also brought a lot of precipitation in the north of Great Britain. Around 100 schools in Scotland remained closed as a precautionary measure on Tuesday due to snow and ice on the roads, the British news agency PA reported. Some schools in Northern Ireland also did not open.
Bahn is preparing for the onset of winter
Rail travelers also have to adapt to restrictions nationwide. According to the railway, employees in the affected regions were ready, for example to clear switches or to ensure traffic safety at level crossings. Clearance vehicles and heavy locomotives are available at strategically important points in the rail network.
According to the railway, the train connection was lifted for all long-distance trains on Wednesday. Anyone who would like to postpone their trip due to the onset of winter can use their ticket at a later date, it said on the website.
