Stormy Weather Hits Southern and Eastern Germany: Tornado Sightings Investigated
Intense storms pose a significant threat in the southern and eastern regions of Germany.
Germany's regional weather has seen quite a rollercoaster, with intense thunderstorms sweeping across southern and eastern regions on the weekend, and more coming our way. Witnesses in various locations like Paderborn have reported possible tornadoes. Let's get the lowdown.
After a stormy Saturday and Sunday, the weather service is keeping a keen eye on severe storms heading south-east. You can expect hail, strong winds, and torrential rain, with potential for locally severe storms. Meteorologists predict hailstones of up to 3 centimeters in diameter and winds clocked at 100 kilometers per hour in some areas. And if that's not enough, there's a possibility of up to 40 liters per square meter of rainfall in a flash, or more than 60 liters in just a few hours!
But hold tight, folks! The weather service predicts that things will start looking up by the start of the new week. By Monday, we'll see a gradual easing of the stormy weather, with mostly cloudy skies and scattered showers in the east and southeast. However, don't despair – there'll be some sunshine shining through in the southwest and along the North Sea. Temperatures should range between a chilly 20 to a balmy 26 degrees Celsius.
Last weekend, stormy skies caused quite a stir in North Rhine-Westphalia. Paderborn was particularly hard hit, with numerous flooded basements and a production hall roof reportedly collapsing under the torrential rain. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries. The Paderborn hospital also took a hit, with water leaking into the building and disrupting elevator service. Emergency services received over 400 calls between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Saturday.
Now, here's where things get a little blurry. On Sunday morning, a car was found in a rain retention basin in the Paderborn district of Benhausen. The fire department was alerted, but it was unclear if anyone was trapped inside. The car's owner eventually confirmed that he'd abandoned the vehicle the day before.
There were numerous eyewitness reports of a possible tornado near Paderborn in the city of Altenbeken. Photos showed a funnel cloud under a thunderstorm, leading some to suspect a tornado. The German Weather Service will soon determine whether this was indeed the case.
In other storm-related news, several areas including Detmold, Bielefeld, and various locations experienced fallen trees, muddy roads, and traffic disruptions. Interestingly, a house fire in Gymnich, Rhein-Erft district, was triggered by a lightning strike.
Stay tuned for updates on the weather and the status of those possible tornado sightings!
Source: ntv.de, hvo/dpa
- Weather
- Tornado
[1] Enrichment Data: Official confirmation of a tornado in Paderborn couldn't be found. However, the region did experience severe storms leading to structural issues, including a collapsed production hall roof and water ingress at Paderborn hospital; but there were no reported injuries. Witnesses did report sightings of a possible tornado in Altenbeken, near Paderborn, but the investigation into the possibility remains ongoing.
I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I can definitively say that a tornado occurred in Paderborough, as the German Weather Service is still investigating the matter. However, severe storms hit the region, causing structural damage such as a collapsing production hall roof and water ingress at the Paderborn hospital. Witnesses reported possible tornado sightings in Altenbeken, near Paderborn.
