Storm Joshua rages in North Rhine-Westphalia: falling trees and weather-related chaos!

Storm Joshua rages in North Rhine-Westphalia: falling trees and weather-related chaos!

Storm “Joshua” is keeping North Rhine-Westphalia in suspense and has been causing uncomfortable weather since today. A short time after the stormy low pressure area appeared, fallen trees and restrictions on rail traffic were already recorded. The meteorological forecasts indicate that the intense periods of rain and thunderstorms will last into the night, while temperatures will drop to values ​​between 10 and 3 degrees. According to Tagesschau, gusts of up to 110 km/h are even possible.

As meteorologist Karsten Schwanke emphasizes, it is a “normal autumn storm”, but he still warns of falling branches. Diana Göke from the regional forestry office in particular recommends avoiding forests during such weather conditions, as the danger always increases. The fire brigade and rescue services are currently in great demand in the Rhineland, Ruhr area and Münsterland, particularly due to fallen trees and fallen branches, which lead to dangerous situations.

Current weather situation and warnings

The current weather warning from the German Weather Service lists gusts of wind of around 80 km/h for the evening and night. It is also emphasized that the wind decreases from the south at night. While stormy gusts are expected to continue on Friday morning, especially in the mountains, these will subside towards the evening.

In Cologne-Vingst, a tree was pushed onto a house and several cars, which led to the fire department being deployed quickly. There were similar incidents in other cities such as Solingen and Krefeld, but fortunately no injuries were reported. A fallen tree on the A1 motorway caused a lengthy traffic jam of up to 15 km.

Consequences of the storm and national reports

Deutsche Bahn reports rail restrictions in all train traffic, especially on lines RE4, RE13 and S8. In addition, over 70 flights at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands were canceled and train connections were also canceled. In a tragic incident in Corsica, a German tourist drowned and his family was rescued.

The forecasts from Unwetterzentrale illustrate the importance of detailed weather forecasts. Storm warnings are divided into advance warnings and acute warnings so that the population can react to the changing conditions. Strong winds are expected to continue until Friday, so all citizens here should exercise caution.

It will remain windy on Saturday night, but the squalls will ease. The forecast for Saturday promises lots of clouds and rain in some areas, with temperatures ranging between 4 and 12 degrees. Given the weather situation, it is advisable to keep an eye on the current warnings.