Severe storms unleash deadly tornadoes in Germany
Tornadoes ripped through portions of western and northern Germany late last week, causing dozens of injuries and at least one death.
By
Nicole LoBiondo, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published May 22, 2022 11:10 AM EST
|
Updated May 23, 2022 8:14 AM EST
Roofs were blown off and trees uprooted when a tornado struck the German city of Paderborn on May 20.
Damaging thunderstorms erupted across Western Europe Friday, May 20, producing three confirmed tornadoes in Germany. The volatile weather caused major damage to multiple cities and towns and was responsible at least one death, impassable roads and disruptions to railway travel.
"Forty-three people were injured in Paderborn, Germany, as a particularly dangerous tornado tore across the city's downtown area on Friday afternoon, 13 of them seriously," Mayor Michael Dreier of Paderborn said.
While many were injured in the path of destruction of these tornadoes, at least one death was reported so far. A 38-year-old man in the town of Wittgert, about 70 miles (111 km) northwest of Frankfurt died after “he suffered from an electric shock in a flooded cellar”, the BBC reported.
Multiple damaged trucks are seen after a storm in Paderborn, Germany, Friday, May 20, 2022. (CabeGallo via Storyful)
Severe storms first swept across Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Germany on Thursday, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to the area with multiple reports of flooded basements, uprooted trees and travel disruptions.
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By Friday afternoon, potent storms began to erupt once again, this time across northern France bringing heavy rainfall, large hail and damaging wind gusts to the region. As the storms continued on their path from west to east, they tracked into western and central Germany where they began to produce tornadoes.
"One out of the three destructive tornado-producing storms that swept through the region set its sights on the town of Lippstadt before tracking eastward into the neighboring city of Paderborn located about 110 miles (177 km) north of Frankfurt in northwest Germany, where the second tornado was reported," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Smithmyer explained.
Preliminary reports state that the tornado that impacted the city of Paderborn, home to nearly 150,000 people, may have traveled just over 13 miles (about 21 km), affecting the nearby municipalities of Benhausen, Neuenbeken and Altenbeken, at around 5 p.m. local time on Friday.
Another tornado was reported in the town of Höxter, Germany, home to 31,000 people and just 30 miles east of Paderborn. Damage that ensued from this tornado included impassable road conditions, several roofs ripped off of houses, shattered windows and large tree branches broken, uprooted and snapped.
In total, seven tornadoes were confirmed across Germany on Friday, according to the European Severe Weather Database.
While tornadoes swept through portions of western and central Germany, heavy rains, hail and damaging wind also occured in the region where rainfall totals from Belgium to northwest Germany ranged from 1 to nearly 2 inches (25-50 mm) on Friday.
A view of buildings severely damaged in Paderborn, Germany, the day heavy rains and tornadoes hit the area, Friday, May 20, 2022. (AccuWeather Network)
"Massive hail stones were also reported, ranging from ping-pong size to golf-ball size in some locations," Smithmyer said.
Smithmyer noted that another round of severe thunderstorms erupted on Sunday evening, unleashing significant hail across portions of France.
Conditions are expected to improve across the region by Tuesday and Wednesday, but a stray shower or thunderstorm cannot be ruled out as a front lingers in the region.
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News / Weather News
Severe storms unleash deadly tornadoes in Germany
Tornadoes ripped through portions of western and northern Germany late last week, causing dozens of injuries and at least one death.
By Nicole LoBiondo, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published May 22, 2022 11:10 AM EST | Updated May 23, 2022 8:14 AM EST
Roofs were blown off and trees uprooted when a tornado struck the German city of Paderborn on May 20.
Damaging thunderstorms erupted across Western Europe Friday, May 20, producing three confirmed tornadoes in Germany. The volatile weather caused major damage to multiple cities and towns and was responsible at least one death, impassable roads and disruptions to railway travel.
"Forty-three people were injured in Paderborn, Germany, as a particularly dangerous tornado tore across the city's downtown area on Friday afternoon, 13 of them seriously," Mayor Michael Dreier of Paderborn said.
While many were injured in the path of destruction of these tornadoes, at least one death was reported so far. A 38-year-old man in the town of Wittgert, about 70 miles (111 km) northwest of Frankfurt died after “he suffered from an electric shock in a flooded cellar”, the BBC reported.
Multiple damaged trucks are seen after a storm in Paderborn, Germany, Friday, May 20, 2022. (CabeGallo via Storyful)
Severe storms first swept across Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Germany on Thursday, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds to the area with multiple reports of flooded basements, uprooted trees and travel disruptions.
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Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+
By Friday afternoon, potent storms began to erupt once again, this time across northern France bringing heavy rainfall, large hail and damaging wind gusts to the region. As the storms continued on their path from west to east, they tracked into western and central Germany where they began to produce tornadoes.
"One out of the three destructive tornado-producing storms that swept through the region set its sights on the town of Lippstadt before tracking eastward into the neighboring city of Paderborn located about 110 miles (177 km) north of Frankfurt in northwest Germany, where the second tornado was reported," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Smithmyer explained.
Preliminary reports state that the tornado that impacted the city of Paderborn, home to nearly 150,000 people, may have traveled just over 13 miles (about 21 km), affecting the nearby municipalities of Benhausen, Neuenbeken and Altenbeken, at around 5 p.m. local time on Friday.
Another tornado was reported in the town of Höxter, Germany, home to 31,000 people and just 30 miles east of Paderborn. Damage that ensued from this tornado included impassable road conditions, several roofs ripped off of houses, shattered windows and large tree branches broken, uprooted and snapped.
In total, seven tornadoes were confirmed across Germany on Friday, according to the European Severe Weather Database.
While tornadoes swept through portions of western and central Germany, heavy rains, hail and damaging wind also occured in the region where rainfall totals from Belgium to northwest Germany ranged from 1 to nearly 2 inches (25-50 mm) on Friday.
A view of buildings severely damaged in Paderborn, Germany, the day heavy rains and tornadoes hit the area, Friday, May 20, 2022. (AccuWeather Network)
"Massive hail stones were also reported, ranging from ping-pong size to golf-ball size in some locations," Smithmyer said.
Smithmyer noted that another round of severe thunderstorms erupted on Sunday evening, unleashing significant hail across portions of France.
Conditions are expected to improve across the region by Tuesday and Wednesday, but a stray shower or thunderstorm cannot be ruled out as a front lingers in the region.
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