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The DWD storm warning has been raised for large parts of Germany, with Berlin placed on level 3 for severe weather on Monday, July 21. Forecasts point to prolonged heavy rain, embedded thunderstorms, and hail as a slow‑moving system crosses the country. The weather service warns of flooded streets and basements and advises residents to prepare for disruptive conditions.
DWD storm warning details for Berlin and the northeast
Berlin faces a level 3 alert for severe heavy rain from the afternoon into the night. Meteorologists caution that 50 to 70 litres of rain per square metre can fall in a few hours, with local peaks possible. The city and the surrounding states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania, Saxony‑Anhalt, and Saxony are under a mix of level 2 and level 3 warnings. Authorities highlight a flooding risk for Brandenburg and Saxony, while parts of Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania could see the rain persist into Tuesday.
Track of the system: from Czechia into the Baltic corridor
According to the DWD, intensifying precipitation advances from Czechia on Monday afternoon, spreading north over the east and reaching Western Pomerania by evening. Very intense rainfall should ease from the south overnight, but in North Western Pomerania the heavy rain can continue into Tuesday morning. Model guidance supports widespread 50 to 70 l/m² in a few hours from north‑east Saxony across eastern Brandenburg, parts of Berlin, and into Pomerania.
West‑to‑east thunderstorm corridor preceded the DWD storm warning
On Sunday, a line of thunderstorms moved from the southwest across central Germany, triggering numerous warnings and emergency responses. Frankfurt’s fire service reported a double‑digit number of call‑outs for storm damage such as fallen trees. Through the evening, warnings extended from Karlsruhe and Mannheim over Hesse and Lower Saxony toward the North Sea, while parts of Bavaria near the Alpine edge shifted from a pre‑alert to full severe‑weather warnings.
Rainfall, gusts and hail: what has been measured so far
The DWD documented severe gusts around 89 to 90 km/h in Rhineland‑Palatinate on Sunday evening and local one‑hour rain totals near 25 l/m², with a particularly strong cell near Günzburg delivering 35 l/m² in 27 minutes. Hailstones around 1 to 2 centimetres were observed, and further hail is possible in the eastern fringe of the system. In the broader warning field, the weather service states that 30 to 60 l/m² are likely, with isolated 70 to 100 l/m² within 6 to 12 hours, and storm gusts up to roughly 85 km/h.
Southern states: heavy rain bands and severe thunderstorms
Bavaria, Baden‑Württemberg, Saarland and Hesse also turn wet and stormy. For Bavaria, the DWD issued a prior information for heavy rain and then upgraded several districts to warnings. Forecasts call for 20 to 35 l/m² in several hours, locally 35 to 60 l/m² in a short time. The focus started in Swabia along the Danube and along the Alps, with the risk of hail around two centimetres and gusts up to about 85 to 90 km/h.
Berlin specifics: timing and impacts
For the capital, the official advisory highlights a window from roughly 14:00 to midnight with the greatest risk of heavy rain. Meteorologists told dpa that 50 litres could fall from mid‑afternoon, with 70 to 80 litres possible where thunderstorms intensify, raising the risk of flash flooding in low‑lying streets and underpasses. Flooded cellars and traffic disruption are expected when the most active cells cross the city.
DWD storm warning shifts north on Tuesday
As the DWD storm warning continues, the heaviest rain shifts north overnight, with the core of intense precipitation lingering in parts of Western Pomerania into Tuesday morning. Elsewhere, a changeable pattern follows, with alternating sunshine and showers and renewed thunderstorm potential later in the week as cooler, unstable air remains over Germany.
Safety advice from authorities
Germany’s Federal Office of Civil Protection advises residents to close windows and doors, secure loose objects such as bins, garden furniture and flower boxes, and avoid areas where falling branches or objects are possible. People caught outside should seek shelter in a solid building, and vehicles should be parked in garages or away from large trees when possible. Local emergency services also urge residents to stay indoors during the peak of the storm and to keep away from scaffolding, construction sites and downed power lines.
What expats in affected regions should prepare for
Public transport delays, temporary power interruptions and short‑notice road closures are possible where the strongest cells pass. Households in basements or ground floors should move valuables off the floor and check drains and sump pumps. Travellers should allow extra time for connections and monitor municipal alert apps such as NINA and Katwarn for local push notifications that supplement the DWD storm warning.
