Extreme winter climate: Germany is making ready for storm “Elli” | EUROtoday

As of: January 8, 2026 11:57 a.m

Storm “Elli” will carry wind, snow and black ice within the coming days: municipalities and transport corporations are making ready for issues. Associations warn of the hazard, particularly for the homeless.

Germany is dealing with turbulent climate circumstances with storm “Elli”. It is predicted to be significantly uncomfortable within the north from subsequent night time onwards. Heavy snowfall is then anticipated. According to the warning from the German Weather Service (DWD), northern Germany between Bremen and Hamburg, jap Germany and the Harz are significantly affected.

Authorities and meteorologists advise: If you do not essentially should be out and about, you need to keep at dwelling and depart your automobile parked. Schools stay closed in some areas, together with Hamburg and Bremen. Some of the teachings will happen on-line.

DWD speaks of an “extreme situation”

There have been already disruptions and accidents on the roads on Thursday morning. A driver close to Gehrde in Lower Saxony died on Thursday morning when, in keeping with police studies, he misplaced management of his automobile on account of slippery circumstances on a federal highway and crashed right into a tree. In Hamburg, the well-known Köhlbrand Bridge was closed to site visitors because of the climate and slippery roads.

For the north and east, the DWD initially predicts a largely dry night time on Friday. However, there may very well be heavy rainfall in the direction of the northeast. “It will be an extreme situation,” mentioned a DWD meteorologist in Potsdam. In a strip from the North Sea to the east, round ten centimeters of contemporary snow could fall, or as much as 20 centimeters in some areas.

Warning of utmost slippery circumstances within the south

In the south and west of Germany, the snow is predicted to rapidly flip into rain by Friday morning – with winds which are additionally stormy however blowing from the southwest. There is then a threat of black ice domestically.

These climate circumstances and the persistent snowfall are anticipated in northern Germany on Friday from round 6 a.m. after which for round 24 hours. According to the present evaluation, it’s not a snowstorm, in keeping with the DWD.

ARD-Wetterexpert Danijel Stanic warned at tagesschau24 earlier than stormy gusts with snow, particularly on Friday from the northwest to the northeast. This may result in snowdrifts and damaged snow and trigger main disruptions on site visitors routes.

Disruptions to buses, trains and delivery

Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder sees motorways and Deutsche Bahn as nicely ready. With a view to the approaching days, he instructed the editorial community Germany (RND): “All available forces are on the roads, train stations and railways so that the transport routes remain safe to navigate.”

A spokesman for Autobahn AG mentioned: 6,300 highway guards are on responsibility nationwide and the salt shops have been crammed up. Brandenburg’s Transport Minister Detlef Tabbert nonetheless suggested suspending non-essential journeys or planning considerably extra time.

Federal Health Minister Nina Warken additionally warned that the intense climate poses an uncommon threat to well being.

Rail makes it attainable to postpone journeys

Deutsche Bahn introduced delays and prepare cancellations in long-distance transport on account of climate circumstances – on Thursday the railway decreased the variety of long-distance transport providers in elements of northern Germany. “All passengers who have purchased a ticket for a trip from January 8th to 10th, 2026 up to and including January 7th, 2026 and would like to postpone this due to the winter weather can use their ticket at a later date,” the corporate mentioned.

North Sea delivery can also be affected: some ferries to and from the East Frisian Islands are unlikely to sail on Friday.

The Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency can also be warning of a storm surge for the Baltic Sea coast on Friday night. Increased water ranges of as much as 1.20 meters above sea degree are anticipated within the Bay of Kiel and the Bay of Lübeck.

Emergency rooms are making ready – extra damaged bones

Pedestrians also needs to watch out. In Potsdam, for instance, the senior doctor answerable for the central emergency room on the Ernst von Bergmann Clinic, Bernhard Fleischer, mentioned: “The current weather conditions represent a particular challenge and pose an increased risk of falls and accidents.”

The emergency room is ready for an elevated variety of sufferers. In the previous few days, black ice in Cottbus, for instance, has led to an elevated variety of accidents – particularly sufferers with damaged bones who fell because of the climate.

Acute hazard for homeless individuals

In view of the icy winter climate, the Joint Association warns that homeless individuals will die from the chilly. The present chilly wave poses an acute menace to the lives of homeless individuals, mentioned managing director Joachim Rock to the RND. Municipalities and states should instantly present low-threshold emergency lodging.

VdK President Verena Bentele made an identical assertion. Nobody must be left uncovered to the chilly with out safety, she instructed the RND. “People without a permanent address or with precarious living conditions in particular need immediate access to safe, warm accommodation,” demanded Bentele.

With data from Dietrich Karl Mäurer, ARD Capital Studio.