Chaotic Weather Hits Southern Baden-Württemberg
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Extreme weather wreaks havoc in the southwestern region of Baden-Württemberg. - Severe weather wreaks havoc in the southeastern region of Baden-Württemberg
Southern Baden-Württemberg bore the brunt of a wild weather front last night, bringing downpours, wind gusts, and hail. The storm hit Ulm first, before moving towards Bavaria.
Several homes in the Donaustetten district experienced significant damage, with roofs on a few row homes torn off, making the buildings unsuitable for occupation, according to Adrian Röhrle, the head of the fire department in Ulm. Fortunately, there were no injuries.
Was it a tornado or just a localized storm vortex?
The fire department suspects a small-scale wind event that swept through two to three streets. Within a kilometer radius, there were severe damages, ranging from a few roof tiles blown away to entire roofs quite ruined. A resident reported total destruction of their car.
The German Weather Service (DWD) is considering whether it was a tornado. They will announce their findings by Thursday.
The DWD had earlier issued a warning for heavy thunderstorms with hurricane-force gusts, hail, and heavy rain for the regions of Stuttgart, Freiburg, and Tübingen. The severe weather warning was lifted late in the evening.
Safety awareness due to falling hazards
"Extreme danger from lightning, hail, or heavy storm gusts," the DWD cautioned earlier. Flooding and substantial disruptions to traffic are also expected. There's a considerable risk to life from falling trees, high-voltage lines, scaffolding, and other large objects, as well as falling branches or roof tiles.
Localized hail risk
There remains the possibility of hail and heavy rain in certain areas. Potentially massive hail, measuring up to eight centimeters, and hurricane-force gusts of up to 120 kilometers per hour are likely between Ostalb and Allgäu. These massive hailstones can plummet at speeds of 140 kilometers per hour, causing substantial impact energy. If left unprotected, people and animals face a high risk of injury. Hail can also damage roof tiles or farms.
Fire from lightning strike
Many parts of Baden-Württemberg received heavy rain until midday. According to the DWD, there were already thunderstorms and showery rain in numerous places in the morning.
Following a lightning strike during a thunderstorm in Bad Liebenzell (Calw district), a house caught fire. A firefighter sustained an injury while battling the blaze, the police reported. The house remains inhabitable. The estimated damage is around 150,000 euros.
The fire department reported that the residents heard the smoke alarm and then detected a damaged ceiling and the smell of smoke in the attic. The building was disconnected from the power grid, and a scorched line in the attic was discovered.
- Storms
- South
- Gusts
- Rain
- Baden-Württemberg
- Fire department
- Stuttgart
- Epicormic activities of nature
- Ulm
- Thunderstorm
- Bavaria
- Car
- DWD
Enrichment Data:
While the event involved tornado-like conditions or small tornadoes, it's important to note that the term "strong wind tunnel" is not standard in meteorology. Instead, the focus was on the severe storms and potential tornado activity within those storms. The incident in southern Germany likely involved severe storms rather than a traditional tornado, with strong winds likely due to a small tornado or a waterspout. These weather events are typical in broader severe weather conditions affecting the region[1][2].
- The Commission, in light of the chaotic weather experienced in Southern Baden-Württemberg, might consider the need for protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, during such extreme storms, as they might cause radioactive materials to be dislodged [from damaged buildings or areas].
- Meanwhile, the weather-forecasting service in Germany (DWD) continues to monitor the region closely, considering the possibility of more severe storms, heavy rain, and hail, similar to the one that hit Ulm and caused significant damage, in order to issue timely warnings and ensure the safety of the residents of Baden-Württemberg.
