Germany's extreme weather conditions prompt disruptions
January 5, 2025
Large parts of Germany are facing heavy snow, black ice, freezing rain and strong winds, which hit the country overnight on Saturday and into Sunday, the German Meteorological Service (DWD) said.
The wintery weather is partly due to a low-pressure system that has already caused havoc in the United Kingdom.
National carrier Lufthansa had warned that the severe weather may cause disruptions to flights in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Flight cancellations and delays plagued Frankfurt Airport, Germany's biggest flight hub, on Sunday, with some 120 flights canceled. The weather conditions also affected Munich and Stuttgart airports.
The weather conditions also caused train disruptions in several parts of the country.
Heavy snowfall and black ice expected
The DWD issued black ice warnings in the area between the Black Forest, Lake Constance, and the Bavarian Forest, urging both drivers and pedestrians to stay home when possible.
Black ice can be particularly dangerous to road users as it is hard to spot and extremely slippery.
The DWD had warned of a low-pressure system with snow and freezing rain moving from the southwest to the northeast over the course of Sunday.
Severe weather warnings were issued regionally but were all canceled by Sunday afternoon.
Dozens of road accidents were reported in the western states of Germany.
Temperatures are forecast to rise on Monday but will soon drop again on Tuesday.
Weather warnings are in place in parts of the UK and US
The United Kingdom has also been experiencing extreme weather, as the country grapples with a week-long spell of wintry conditions.
Power cuts were reported in the English cities of Birmingham and Bristol, as well as Cardiff in Wales. The National Grid said it was hard at work in an attempt to restore power.
Rural communities in the north of England were at risk of being completely cut off, as up to 40 centimeters (15 inches) of snowfall was reported.
The runways at Liverpool's John Lennon Airport and Manchester Airport had to close
overnight, gradually returning back to normal on Sunday.
The Met Office, Britain's weather forecaster, expected snowfall to continue on Sunday, especially in northern England and southern Scotland.
Over 55 million people face a dangerous storm bringing a deep freeze to the eastern United States through Monday, with the National Weather Service warning of blizzard conditions from the central plains to the Mid-Atlantic.
Winter storm warnings or advisories have been issued from Montana, in the country's Rocky Mountain northwest, clear across to the coastal states of Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.
Blizzards blew through the Midwest early on Sunday, with the National Weather Service (NWS) warning of snowfalls of 15 inches (38 centimeters) or more in some areas.
rmt,lo/ab (dpa, AFP)