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Snow is melting: ice accidents and thaws cause chaos!
Melting snow and ice are creating dangerous road conditions in Kiel and northern Germany. Police report slippery accidents.
Snow is melting: ice accidents and thaws cause chaos!
Snow and ice have had a firm grip on northern Germany in the last few days, but the weather gods are slowly showing their milder side. Loud NDR Rising temperatures are expected this week, ushering in the thaw. After an incident involving freezing water on Wednesday evening, which led to slippery roads, the police in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania reported ten weather-related accidents, including four slightly injured people. The icy accidents were particularly frequent in Flensburg and Joldelund, where a driver was seriously injured after a rollover.
But it wasn't just on the streets that caution was required. In Hamburg, the winter service was active with around 100 people to grit the main roads and cycle paths. However, the German Weather Services (DWD) gave the all-clear: the risk of icy conditions should decrease with the coming plus temperatures on Thursday. The maximum temperatures in Usedom reach up to 2 degrees, while in Georgsmarienhütte it could even be up to 10 degrees.
The effects of winter weather
However, the thawing ice does not only bring relief. The emergency services had to clear out the meltwater in many regions because the water could not drain away. Clogged gutters contributed to flooding in some basements and apartments. In addition, possible ice risks in Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania cannot be completely ruled out next night, even if the DWD expects calmer weather conditions. It could be frosty again this weekend.
In the shipping-plagued Elbe, ice formation creates additional challenges. The Elbe ferry “Tanja” had to be temporarily stopped while icebreakers are in use to maintain shipping traffic.
Problems in the transport and education sectors
Last week, people in northern Germany were severely affected by the winter conditions. Classes across Lower Saxony were canceled on Friday and Monday, which posed logistical problems for many families. There were traffic jams, for example on the A7, due to cleaning work. The icy conditions not only caused ice accidents, but also major disruptions in air traffic, such as at Frankfurt Airport, where 120 flights were canceled.
However, next Saturday the HSV home game against Mönchengladbach can take place again as scheduled after the cancellation of the game against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The weather in northern Germany remains an exciting topic. Experts also warn of dangerous roof avalanches and icicles caused by the machinery of the thaw.
As the situation shows, we are also facing the challenges of climate change in Germany. According to a study by the Statista Climate change manifests itself in the form of weather extremes, ranging from heavy rain to unpredictable winter weather. It remains to be seen how the temperatures and weather will develop in the coming weeks.