Post-Snowcalamity: Revived Traffic in Southern Germany, Albeit Cautiously
Following the snow chaos, the Bavarian Regional Railway announced an indefinite suspension of train services, with services resuming briefly by helicopter. A rep from Deutsche Bahn noted that despite the helicopter services, the travel scenario remained "surprisingly compressed," with trains being packed to the brim. They recommended postponing all travel to Munich until Tuesday, if possible.
Amidst the mayhem, Munich Airport recommenced flights on Sunday morning under conditions of restricted traffic. Passengers were advised to confirm their flight status before embarking on their journey to the airport. In Munich, trams remained a no-go, but buses were set to return to operation, albeit fumbling with road imperfections due to lingering snow and ice. S-Bahn services on the periphery of Munich were suspended until further notice.
The city of Munich declared that Hellabrunn Zoo would remain inaccessible on Sunday due to the harsh climate. Linderhof and Lustheim castles and Herrenchiemsee Island in Schleißheim, as well as Nymphenburg Palace Park, remained unvisitable. The English Garden was also an unsafe bet, with possible snow breakages, prompting visitors to stay away.
Meanwhile, the Lake Constance district fire department reported being dispatched to hundreds of incidents following the snowfall. Though there were no fatal traffic accidents on Lake Constance, accidents due to icy roads were reported in Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Lower Saxony.
The German Weather Service predicted more snow showers on the Baltic Sea and Lower Rhine this Sunday, with snowfall eventually creeping over from North Rhine-Westphalia to the North Sea by Monday. It anticipated slippery surfaces in many areas due to accumulating snow.
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- The winter chaos in Bavaria, particularly Munich, is still causing disturbances in traffic management.
- Despite the snow chaos, Munich Airport ventured to restart its flights on Sunday morning, but with constraints.
- The S-Bahn services on the outskirts of Munich continue to be halted due to the ongoing snow chaos as the city's announcement has reported.
- Deutsche Bahn suggested postponing all trips to Munich until Tuesday, in light of the ongoing snow chaos and impending train cancellations and delays on Monday.
- The Bavarian Palace Administration shut down Nymphenburg Palace Park in Munich owing to the elevated risk of snowfall, further exacerbating the snow chaos in many parts of Southern Germany.
- Emergency services like the Lake Constance fire department have dealt with hundreds of incidents stemming from the snowfall, seeing as part of Southern Germany's overall snow chaos.
- Despite the snow chaos in Southern Germany, no severe traffic accidents have been reported from Lake Constance over the weekend.
- The German Weather Service forecasts snow showers on the Baltic Sea and Lower Rhine by Sunday and Monday, potentially worsening the snow chaos in the region.
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The Bavarian region and its capital, Munich, were greatly affected by recent snowfall, leading to extensive traffic disruptions and causing challenges in resuming flights at Munich Airport. Yet, the impact of the snowfall also struck various parts of the United States, including the Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley, and Central Plains.
In these regions, heavy snowfall brought forth travel chaos, reduced visibility, and icy runways, prompting airlines like American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines to issue travel alerts and waivers for affected passengers. Besides, winter storms throughout the Intermountain West and the Western U.S. also led to widespread winter weather impacts.
To handle snowfall impacts in the Eastern U.S., the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration declared a regional emergency, allowing for waivers of maximum driving time regulations for commercial motor vehicle operators transporting live chickens, owing to the widespread spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
