Storm low Kirk: Trees fallen and power outages in Rhineland-Palatinate!

Storm low Kirk: Trees fallen and power outages in Rhineland-Palatinate!

The effects of the ex-hurricane "Kirk" reached Rhineland-Palatinate on the night from Wednesday to Thursday. While the storm low moved across the state with strong wind and rain, the worst storms were largely failing to materialize. In some regions there were nevertheless fallen trees and a temporary power failure in the West Palatinate Clinic in Kusel.

Although trees overturned in many places, fortunately, this did not lead to serious accidents or injuries. Streets were blocked in parts of the Eifel, especially in Bollendorf and Ferschweiler. At the same time, streams came across the banks near Trier, and there was a slope slide near Bausendorf.

largest amounts of rain in the north

The greatest rainfall fell in the north of the country, while the middle and southern part was affected by stronger gusts of wind and less rain. The meteorologists had predicted that the north would get rain between 35 and 70 liters per square meter, which was also confirmed in the first few hours. These amounts of rain led to higher levels in the rivers, such as the Moselle near Trier, where the seven-meter brand could be exceeded during the day. This has an impact on shipping traffic because it is set from a level of 6.95 meters.

In the second half of the night, the gusts of wind reached its peak. Especially in the Hunsrück and south of the country, there were numerous fallen trees, which also led to train failures. Compared to Rhineland-Palatinate, however, the most serious damage occurred in Baden-Württemberg, where the storm low raged even more intensely.

preventive measures and safety precautions

several municipalities were upgraded with flood protection walls. In Oberbillig and Lieser, both in the Trier-Saarburg district or Bernkastel-Wittlich, was prevented to avoid flooding. In Bad Kreuznach you are also prepared for flood protection.

For the coming days, the weather experts advise caution in forest walks, as fallen trees and broken branches can pose a danger. After "Kirk" has pulled through, the weather should gradually clear up, even if it remains changeable on Thursday. Thunderstorms could occur, however, the probability is estimated to be low.

The temperatures are expected to be between 13 and 17 degrees on Thursday, with low -night levels of 4 to 7 degrees, especially in the higher layers of the Eifel. For the weekend, friendly conditions with temperatures around 15 to 16 degrees are predicted, which should be positive in the region.

Although the weather situation caused some inconvenience through “Kirk”, the situation in Rhineland-Palatinate remained largely under control. The preventive measures of the fire brigades and municipalities show how important early steps to avoid damage are. More information about this weather conditions are in a comprehensive report to be found on www.swr.de