Hurricane Kirk: Danger of severe storms in North Rhine-Westphalia!

Hurricane Kirk: Danger of severe storms in North Rhine-Westphalia!

Hurricane Kirk, which is crossing the Atlantic, is currently causing great concern in western Europe. With wind speeds of over 200 km/h, it not only brings storms, but also potentially dangerous weather conditions, especially for North Rhine-Westphalia and the city of Cologne.

The forecasts of the meteorologists at the German Weather Service (DWD) are currently characterized by uncertainty. The hurricane could lead to severe storms in North Rhine-Westphalia from Thursday. Wind speeds of up to 100 km/h and heavy rain cannot be ruled out.

The hurricane's path

The hurricane formed closer to mainland Europe than is normally the case. This means that the intensity with which it hits Europe as an extratropical low is higher than usual. A DWD spokesman explained that the exact path of the hurricane could only be predicted on Monday night. This is because the hurricane interacts with the existing westerly wind circulation, which poses challenges for forecast models.

The risk of strong squalls is higher on the southern flank of the hurricane. But depending on its path, the hurricane could also pass further north or south of Germany. Background information shows that the region around the Eifel is particularly at risk, as up to 125 liters of rain per square meter is predicted here. Rainfall associated with the extratropical low is also expected across Europe. Portugal could see up to 340 liters of rain per square meter, causing significant flooding.

The consequences of this storm cannot be ruled out in the coming days. While the exact path is still unclear, the weather services will still carry out constant monitoring in order to issue timely warnings. For affected regions such as Cologne, this means an increased risk of possible storms and therefore cause for concern for the population.

These developments require the authorities to closely monitor the weather situation. The people in North Rhine-Westphalia and especially in Cologne should prepare for possible worsening of the weather and take appropriate precautions.