Severe Flooding Anticipated in Southern Germany
The flood crisis in southern Germany continues to escalate as multiple dams broke again in Bavaria on Sunday. Weather experts warn that additional protective barriers may fail under the persistent onslaught of heavy rain. This week, the German Weather Service (DWD) forecasts continuous rainfall, with many river gauges yet to reach their peak levels. Monday could see rainfall reaching up to 70 liters per square meter in certain areas.
On Monday, the DWD predicts strong thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rainfall, particularly affecting eastern and southern Germany. The Alpine foothills south of the Danube and the Bavarian Forest are expected to experience intensified thunderstorms from Monday afternoon onwards. Rainfall in these regions could range between 15 to 25 liters per square meter in a short period, with potential localized storms bringing up to 40 liters per square meter in an hour or up to 65 liters in a brief span. Warning level 3 has been issued for the Lake Constance region, while areas south of Munich and Stuttgart remain at warning level 2, indicating severe weather conditions.
Expert Warnings and Impact on River Levels
Meteorologist Dominik Jung from Wetter.net cautioned that the extreme flooding could persist, highlighting that softened dams may still breach in the coming days. He noted that river levels, especially the Danube, are expected to rise until June 4. Recent dam breaches have occurred near Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm, a tributary of the Danube, exacerbating the flood situation.
Regions Most Affected by Rainfall and Rising Rivers
The following regions are experiencing significant rainfall:
- Parts of Swabia: 40 to 50 liters per square meter within approximately 18 hours.
- Parts of Upper Bavaria: 40 to 50 liters per square meter within the same duration.
- Upper and Lower Allgäu: up to 65 liters per square meter.
Areas particularly affected by rising river levels include:
- Regensburg
- Passau
- Neu-Ulm
- Günzburg
- Wangen
- Leutkirch
- Isny
Continued Severe Weather Warnings
Even areas that have received less rain are seeing rising water levels due to the overflow from other regions. Dominik Jung pointed out that the Rhine's water level near Mainz is expected to rise from four meters to over six meters. The DWD continues to issue severe weather warnings for regions south of the Danube, particularly the Bavarian Forest and the Alps, with heavy rain forecasted for some places on Tuesday.
Thunderstorms are predicted to persist in southern Germany and parts of eastern Germany until Thursday, though they are expected to be less severe. The weather may begin to stabilize by Friday and Saturday, with only isolated heavy thunderstorms anticipated in the eastern low mountain ranges. Despite potential respite, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder cautioned on Deutschlandfunk that river levels would continue to rise due to tributary inflows, and the situation is expected to persist until midweek.
Image by Hans from Pixabay
