It’s going to be very wet, very windy and perhaps even a little bit dangerous: Storm Sabine is on her way to Germany! Meteorologists are warning people to prepare for the first big storm of the year, which is expected to hit the federal republic this weekend. 

Hurricane gusts of up to 118 km/h

A mighty weather front is currently brewing over the Atlantic and is likely to cause some stormy weather in Germany this weekend. “From Sunday to Monday we see an explosive windstorm,” said meteorologist Andreas Friedrich of the German Weather Service (DWD). 

The storm is expected to reach Germany on Sunday and could rage until Wednesday. The winds will hit northwest Germany first, as early as Sunday morning, before spreading southwards. By Sunday night, the whole of the country looks set to be experiencing stormy conditions.

In exposed areas on the coasts and in the mountains, “full hurricane gusts” with speeds of 118 kilometres an hour can be expected on Sunday night. In more sheltered areas, these gusts could still reach speeds of between 103 and 118 kilometres per hour.

The strong winds will be accompanied by heavy rain and sleet showers. It is, however, going to remain quite mild for the season, with day temperatures of up to 13 degrees expected in Berlin, 8 degrees in Bayerische Wald and 16 degrees in the Upper Rhine. 

Germany urged to prepare for storm

Nonetheless, the DWD has urged Germany “to prepare for it”. They advise against spending long periods outdoors this weekend and to stay away from trees, since the gusts of wind are likely to be strong enough to uproot trunks and break off entire branches. 

The DWD further advises that objects outside (like bins or garden furniture) should be brought indoors or made secure, and cars should not be parked directly under trees. If possible, driving should be avoided entirely. 

Sabine is also likely to affect airports, long-distance trains and local transportation from Sunday afternoon onwards. In the past, trees and roof tiles have fallen onto the tracks, causing severe disruption. With the highest wind speeds expected on Sunday night and Monday morning, it’s very likely that rush hour traffic will be affected. You might want to leave a bit of extra time to get to work. 

At the weekend, the DWD will issue precise weather warnings. The exact details of how the storm will affect different regions of Germany is not yet clear. The storm is also likely to affect the UK, Ireland, northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark.