Thunderstorm front endangers Bavaria: Strong storms expected until 10 p.m.!

Thunderstorm front endangers Bavaria: Strong storms expected until 10 p.m.!

A thunderstorm front is rolling across Bavaria today, and the German Weather Service (DWD) is warning of strong storms that could lead to challenging conditions in some places. Especially in the districts of Neu-Ulm, Günzburg, Augsburg, Unterallgäu and Dillingen an der Donau, gusts of up to 70 km/h and heavy rain of up to 20 liters per square meter are expected until 10 p.m. Small hail formation is also possible, which could further aggravate the situation. fr.de reports of the first thunderstorm cells moving from Baden-Württemberg to Bavaria and particularly concentrating on Neu-Ulm.

The level 1 warnings also extend to the Freising and Dachau districts north of Munich as well as to the south, for example in Bad Tölz and Miesbach. Two thunderstorm cells were also detected south of Munich and between Augsburg and Landsberg. A thunderstorm warning has also been issued in the Munich district, which is associated with wind gusts of up to 50 km/h and potential heavy rain showers. The weather situation could worsen further from the afternoon onwards, with a particular focus on northern Bavaria and the Alpine regions.

Extreme weather and climate change

These thunderstorm warnings are not just a seasonal phenomenon, but they reflect a larger problem like the BR reports: Extreme precipitation events in southern Germany now occur every 25 to 30 years, a significant decrease compared to previous periods. This is the result of a study by the DWD, which shows that such storms occur more frequently today than in 1900. The cause? A cooler climate in the early 20th century, which saw much less rainfall.

According to climate researcher Harald Kunstmann, the 1.2 degrees Celsius warming observed since the 1900s means that warmer air can hold more water vapor. For this reason, average rainfall has increased by four liters per square meter over the last 120 years. It is strongly recommended that both government institutions and private individuals reconsider and adapt their measures to protect against such extreme weather events.

Alarming trends in weather research

Observations of climate change also show that extreme weather events such as the thunderstorm front that is affecting Bavaria today could become even more frequent in the future. An analysis of the daily news points out that storms like “Boris” will occur twice as often due to climate change. Such developments are not only felt locally, but also put a strain on global infrastructure, as the recent flood events in Central Europe make clear: at least 24 people lost their lives and thousands had to leave their homes.

Despite the intense rainfall in other parts of Europe, it is interesting that the death toll from such weather events has been reduced compared to previous events. This is seen as a success of innovative early warning systems and better weather forecasting. The need to adapt to climate change is also highlighted by World Weather Attribution experts, who highlight the importance of switching to renewable energy to combat these challenges.

In summary, today we are faced with the challenge of not only facing the impending storm, but also the longer-term interactions of climate change, which will confront us with increasingly extreme weather conditions in the coming years.