The Berlin Environmental Senate has called on citizens to exercise caution in view of the approaching storm. “A thunderstorm will move from the west over Berlin and Brandenburg from Friday afternoon and will cause severe storms until early Saturday morning,” the Senate Department announced on Friday.
She warned against “entering green spaces and the Berlin forests during this time – especially outside of secured paths”. Falling branches and parts of treetops could quickly become life-threatening.
In the city, roof tiles or scaffolding parts could also fall down. “Even after the weather conditions have calmed down, broken branches, falling trees and obstructions from uprooted and broken trees must be expected.”
But the feared storm did not materialize. It was raining heavily in the capital, with occasional thunder and lightning. However, the situation was “absolutely calm,” said a spokesman for the Berlin fire brigade later in the evening. So far, there have been no reports of flooded basements, nor have the emergency services had to move out due to lightning strikes. No major operations were initially known from Brandenburg either. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms were recorded there, especially over the Lausitz. Official severe weather warnings for severe thunderstorms remained in place for the time being.
The German Weather Service had previously issued a severe weather warning. Widespread, severe and sometimes extreme thunderstorms with massive impacts are therefore expected. Heavy rain with 40 liters per square meter in one hour is possible. Hailstones could be about five centimeters in size.
The summer high will be interrupted for the time being on Saturday. According to the forecast, the weather will be changeable with a mix of sun and clouds as well as occasional rain showers. There can be stormy gusts locally, which decrease towards the evening, it said. The temperatures rise to 19 to 22 degrees. The lows at night are between twelve and nine degrees.
According to the DWD, it will also be cloudy on Sunday, but it will remain dry. The temperatures rise to 18 to 21 degrees. A light to moderate north-west wind will blow. (dpa)
