On Monday morning, the icy weather in Germany caused a number of travel-related accidents, flight cancellations in Frankfurt and school closures in some federal states. Luckily, a mild wind is expected to bring temperatures up throughout the week.
Inclement weather across Germany has resulted in some traditional pre-Christmas travel chaos. The beginning of the week saw parts of every German state issued with a dangerous weather warning. Icy roads mean that schools across the country have had to close due to slippery surfaces causing a number of road accidents. Black ice has also resulted in disrupted transport services, rendering tram and train lines unusable in a number of areas.
Passengers of Deutsche Bahn have also been advised by the company's website to keep a look out for disruptions and changes to journeys throughout the day.
According to forecasts, the slippery weather, which originated south of Iceland, will spread across Germany over the course of the day. "Freezing rain will occur. After which, milder air will gradually take over," the German Weather Service reported.
Airports in Germany, including the country's largest in Frankfurt, has already been impacted by the freezing temperatures. On Monday morning, almost 176 of the 1.100 flights that were due to take off from the airport were cancelled. Passengers have been asked to check whether their journey is affected, and if not, they have been ordered to arrive at check-in as early as possible in order to avoid further delays.
Back on the roads, the weather has so far caused one fatal accident. In the early hours of Monday morning, a 25-year-old man was killed on the Autobahn near Walsrode-Hamwiede in Lower Saxony. A spokesperson from the police announced that the driver's car skidded off the motorway due to black ice. In North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Bonn, other accidents have occurred and while none were fatal, passengers have had to receive emergency medical treatment.
The police in North Rhine-Westphalia has encouraged drivers to delay their journeys until the black ice has cleared. The rest of the week will bring a milder wind across Germany, making a white Christmas look unlikely this year.