German Weather Service warns of severe rain, hail, and gale-force gusts across southern states
The German Weather Service has issued warnings for heavy rain, hail, and wind gusts up to 120 km/h across southern and western regions on Friday, with downpours forecast to exceed 40 liters per square meter in parts of Bavaria.
Heavy rainfall across southern Germany
Meteorologists at the German Weather Service (DWD) expect extensive rainfall to spread across southern Germany on Friday. Starting in the morning around the Lake Constance region, the rain front is forecast to expand over Upper Swabia, the Swabian Jura, and southern and central Bavaria, reaching the Bavarian Forest, Middle Franconia, and the Upper Palatinate. Precipitation totals across these areas are projected to reach 20 to 40 liters per square meter over a period of six to nine hours.
Locally, accumulation could exceed 40 liters per square meter, which marks the official threshold for severe weather warnings. Temperatures in the southern continuous rain areas, including the Allgäu, Upper Swabia, and Lake Constance, will remain constrained, peaking between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius. By contrast, central and eastern regions, such as northern Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Saxony-Anhalt, are forecast to remain largely dry with longer sunny intervals and highs between 21 and 25 degrees Celsius.
Severe thunderstorm threats and wind gusts
Atmospheric instability will bring thunderstorms to multiple parts of the country throughout Friday afternoon. The most severe conditions are projected for southern Bavaria and the Alpine edge, where thunderstorms may produce hail measuring up to three centimeters in diameter and wind gusts reaching 120 km/h. Authorities have advised against remaining outdoors due to hazards from lightning strikes, flying debris, and falling tree branches.
- Alpine edge
- 120 km/h
- Northwest and West
- 70 km/h
- Baltic Sea coast (Sunday)
- 70 km/h
In western and northwestern Germany, including western Baden-Württemberg, Hessen, and Lower Saxony, scattered thunderstorms will develop alongside rain showers. These western storm cells are forecast to generate short downpours exceeding 25 liters per square meter, small hail, and convective wind gusts reaching up to 70 km/h. Temperatures across Hessen and western regions will reach between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius before nightfall.
Weekend progression and shifting storm tracks
Rainfall in the southeast is forecast to taper off during Friday night, while showers and isolated thunderstorms continue across central Germany. On Saturday, unsettled conditions will persist in northern and central regions with highs between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius, while southern Germany will see drier conditions and temperatures between 20 and 23 degrees Celsius. Northern Bavaria may still see isolated showers, with temperatures reaching 17 to 22 degrees Celsius.
- Heavy rain spreads from Lake Constance across Upper Swabia and southern Bavaria.
- Thunderstorms bring hail and peak gusts up to 120 km/h along the Alpine edge.
- Rain subsides in the southeast as showers shift into central Germany.
- Isolated thunderstorms continue in central and northern areas while the south dries.
- Storm focus moves to the northeast with Baltic gusts up to 70 km/h and southern clearing.
By Sunday, the primary storm focus will shift to northeastern Germany. The DWD projects strong thunderstorms delivering approximately 15 liters of rain per hour in the northeast, accompanied by wind gusts of up to 70 km/h along the Baltic Sea coast. Southern and central federal states, including Hessen and Bavaria, will experience drier weather on Sunday, with clearing skies, occasional fog, light northern winds, and temperatures reaching 20 to 24 degrees Celsius.
Recent storm damage and regional impact
The incoming storm front follows severe weather earlier in the week that caused casualties and infrastructural damage. In Rhineland-Palatinate and Thuringia, two people died after being struck by falling trees and branches during recent storms. In the Westerwaldkreis district, severe weather damaged buildings, caused power outages, disrupted road traffic, and left a firefighter injured.
On Thursday, a localized storm in Middle Franconia flooded the market square in Greding. The town received approximately 40 liters of rain per square meter within 20 minutes, leading to flooded basements after the parched soil was unable to absorb the rapid volume of water.
