Attention, increased risk of storms!

People in many regions of Germany have to prepare for severe storms on Friday.

There should initially only be isolated thunderstorms in the morning - primarily in a strip along the Moselle and Main to the Ore Mountains, locally with heavy rain and hail: "From the midday hours on NRW and Rhineland-Palatinate overarching heavy thunderstorms with increased risk of thunderstorms.

Locally extremely heavy heavy rain of around 40 liters per square meter in a short time, large hail of up to five centimeters and heavy gusts of wind up to hurricane gusts with speeds between 100 and 130 kilometers per hour.

Isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out,” forecast the German Weather Service (DWD) in Offenbach on Friday morning.

In Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, up to 60 liters per square meter could fall.

So-called supercells are likely to form as a result – rotating systems with strong updrafts that move completely independently and are therefore difficult to predict.

There are also “ideal conditions” for tornadoes and violent hurricanes with wind force 12.

There was also hail and sometimes extremely heavy rain.

According to the DWD, a strip from North Rhine-Westphalia and northern Rhineland-Palatinate to Brandenburg and Western Pomerania is particularly affected by the storm.

According to the information, exactly where the thunderstorms will discharge can only be said with certainty a few hours in advance.

For tornadoes, the forecast range is in the minute range.

Local heavy thunderstorms are also to be expected in central and eastern Germany.

“Avoid being outdoors”

According to the definition, an official warning of level 4 can be life-threatening for people.

"Avoid spending time outdoors.

Be very careful and inform yourself regularly about the development of the weather situation," advised the DWD.

In addition, one should prepare for “extraordinary measures” and in any case follow possible instructions from the authorities.

On Friday afternoon the thunderstorms will move eastwards, in the evening there may also be some strong thunderstorms in the south of the country with the potential for severe weather, mainly due to heavy rain and hail.

The highest temperatures on Friday are between 20 degrees on the sea, muggy 27 degrees in the middle and hot 34 degrees on the Upper Rhine.

No state-wide lesson cancellation is planned for the schools in NRW, the Ministry of Education announced on Thursday evening at the request of the dpa.

It is not foreseeable at what time and in which parts of the country the predicted storm will occur in the afternoon.

In such cases, on the basis of the corresponding decree, each district government decides independently, taking into account the regional weather conditions, whether face-to-face teaching is possible, according to the Ministry of Education.

The exams scheduled for Friday should take place as planned.

If necessary, the school buildings should remain open until the pupils can safely get home, the ministry advises.