Amidst the chilly weather, sea of snow, and icy roads in the northern regions, remarkably, the traffic managed to stay relatively calm on Wednesday night. Local authorities like Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania reported that the majority of incidents involved merely scrapes to metal sheets.
According to the German Weather Service (DWD), at least 5 centimeters of fresh snow fell during Wednesday, and the mercury hovered between 1 and 3 degrees Celcius. The incoming storm had left parts of Hamburg and southern Schleswig-Holstein with a perilous risk of icy roads in the early morning hours, due to the slippery ice from the freezing rain.
In the coming days, the DWD predicts rain, sleet, and snow, continuing the trend of unpredictable weather. Some sections may still hold a localized threat of slippery surfaces due to frozen ground. However, temperatures will mildly increase and reach highs around 5 degrees Celcius in certain areas during the day.
Inverse to popular belief, the roads in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania managed to stay relatively smooth. Hailed for their efforts, the nearby police force played a significant role in mitigating icy incidents. After the heavy frost and freezing rain, Hamburg's traffic encountered minor setbacks on Thursday morning.
Menacing slippery productions abounded in the streets of Schleswig-Holstein during this period. In light of this, the Hamburg police force deployed additional officers to the roads, warning drivers of the persistent frosty condition and its potential for severe slipperiness.
Although the weather in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein was not at its finest, they were successful in keeping the major accidents at bay. Thanking the diligent work of the police force and road maintenance teams, traffic scares were effectively subdued.
To forecast and predict weather conditions and potential slipperiness risk in the coming days, the DWD applies advanced NWP models and data collection techniques:
- The DWD collects real-time atmospheric data and integrates them into a coherent format for NWP models. By utilizing founts like weather stations, satellites, and aircraft, they amass a continually expanding realm of information for future use.
- Subsequently, the DWD employs various NWP models, such as IFS, GFS, and ICON, to simulate the future state of the atmosphere using mathematical equations owing to the physics of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics.
- By regularly updating and issuing forecasts with predictions for different lead times, the DWD ensures that individuals can stay informed of future weather patterns and slipperiness conditions easily.
Bound by objective data, the DWD's predictions help individuals make informed decisions about their travel and remaining safe during the unpredictable weather in northern Germany.
