With the first named storm of the season to hit Germany by Friday, and another moving in by Sunday, most people may want to take refuge this weekend from strong winds and heavy rain.
Winds were already picking up across the northwest of Germany on Thursday, ahead of a pair of storms set to come in over the course of the weekend.
The weekend “is literally washed out” warned meteorologist Dominik Jung in a recent weather report for Frankfurter Rundschau.
But after a few days of rain and wind, people in Germany can expect a rather warm and sunny end to October. So the advice for now is keep your raincoat by the door, but also your sunglasses.
Here’s your look at the weekend’s weather, and a glance at what’s to come after that.
The first major storms of the season
Beginning Thursday night into Friday morning, wind, high waves and rain will hit Germany’s northern coastline. The storm is crossing the English channel from the northwest, so will hit the North Sea Coast first, and then spread to the south and the east.
This is the first named storm of the season in the region – called Storm Austen in the UK.
Gale force winds are expected primarily along the North Sea coast, such as on the Frisian Islands, Helgoland, Sylt and the rest of the surrounding coast.
But strong winds and rain are also expected further inland and to the south, along Germany’s western side, with particularly strong winds felt on exposed mountaintops.
Thunderstorms are possible in the southwest.
Residents are advised to secure loose objects on the balcony or terrace.
Stormy conditions won’t fully let up until Monday, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).
After Friday’s storm has passed, Saturday brings cloudy and overcast conditions with rain in the north and showers in the far south. Sleet or snow may also fall at elevations above 1,200 meters.
Daily high temperatures will range between 8C and 13C across the country.
Then on Sunday another storm system moves in, this one starting from the west and southwest, and moving eastward.
Persistent rain is possible in the windward areas of the Eifel, Rothaar Mountains and Black Forest.
Highs will reach 10C to 16C.
A touch of pleasant weather next week
By Monday a high-pressure system building around Spain is to move across Central Europe, stilling the winds and breaking up the clouds as temperatures warm.
By Tuesday Germany is set for widespread high temperatures in the upper teens. Especially around Saarland, the Palatinate and the Upper Rhine, temperatures could even hit the lower 20s.
However there is a chance that foggy conditions will persist in the low-lands.
A warm winter or a snowy one?
Typically October in Germany sees more serious temperature drops, including frost and even snowfall in parts of the country. But this hasn’t materialised yet this year, and current weather models don’t yet show a real cold snap on the horizon.
So are we due for a rather warm winter?
If the old German farmers’ wisdom is to be believed, a warm October actually forebodes a harshly cold winter. And there are a couple reasons to think this might hold true.
Average water temperatures across the Mediterranean are unseasonably warm at the moment, which is fuel for more severe weather.
Also, on the far side of the world, this year’s El Niño looks set to be the strongest the world has ever seen. El Niño itself is not really expected to affect Germany directly, but during the particularly strong El Niño in 2009/2010, Germany was blanketed in snow for weeks.
READ ALSO: How will the ‘super El Niño’ affect winter weather in Germany?
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
