2018 Germany spring forecast: Severe weather to accompany building warmth

A very changeable spring is expected across Germany as surges of warmth are erased by occasional severe weather.

A storm track shifting to the north will limit the threat for severe windstorms; however, there may still be some disruptive wind events early in the season.

"Any early season windstorm that does impact Germany could lead to transportation delays as many trees and limbs are in a weakened state following the stormy winter," AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.

Areas from Cologne to Hamburg and Kiel will be at greatest risk for winds capable of producing travel disruption and localized damage.

Any threat of low-elevation snowfall will be limited to the first half of March as milder air arrives.

The shift to warmth will also heighten the risk for avalanches in the Alps.

As the windstorm threat diminishes in April and May, surges of warmth from the Mediterranean will become more frequent allowing temperatures to average near to above normal across the country.

Several tastes of summer warmth are expected during the second half of spring as prolonged stretches of dry weather become more frequent.

The warmest days of May will feature high temperatures in excess of 27 C (80 F) across the much of the country with temperatures peaking at or above 30 C (86 F) in the warmest locations.

Thermometers could approach 32 C (90 F) on the hottest days of May from Stuttgart to Frankfurt and Cologne.

Less frequent rainfall in May will result in below-normal precipitation while also allowing prolonged stretches of unseasonable warmth.

This increase in warmth will come at a price as frontal boundaries crossing the country will interact with the warmth to create thunderstorms.

Some of these storms will be severe with threats ranging from flooding downpours to damaging winds and hail. A few of the strongest storms will be capable of producing tornadoes.

“The greatest threat for severe weather will be from late April into May,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.

Locations with the highest risk for these storms will be across eastern Germany including Berlin, Dresden, Nuremberg and Munich.

Heavy rainfall events are expected to be sparse outside of thunderstorms, limiting the threat for flooding to localized events.

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