Storm Elli sparks school closures and travel chaos across Germany

Germany is facing widespread disruption as Storm Elli sweeps across the country with heavy snow, freezing rain and powerful winds, prompting the German Weather Service to warn residents to stay indoors from the afternoon of January 8.

Schools have already closed in several regions, fatal accidents have been reported, and forecasters expect up to 25 centimetres of new snow across parts of the north and northeast, according to foreign media reports.

Strong winds are producing fast-forming snowdrifts, while a high-risk corridor from Bremen through Hanover to Berlin is bracing for freezing rain and extreme ice. In exposed areas such as the Black Forest, gusts could reach 130 kilometres per hour.

Meteorologists say snow will spread nationwide by Saturday. A further 20–25 centimetres is expected from North Rhine-Westphalia through Baden-Württemberg to Bavaria, followed by a sharp overnight temperature drop. By Sunday morning, January 11, parts of Saxony could see lows near minus 20 degrees Celsius, with widespread sub-zero temperatures elsewhere rendering road salt ineffective and increasing the risk of long traffic standstills.

Travel conditions are deteriorating rapidly. Heavy snowfall in the north and northeast is producing deep drifts, while western and southwestern regions are seeing snow turn to heavy rain, creating slippery roads and localised flooding. In the central transition zone, freezing rain threatens to coat roads, pavements and rail lines with ice, raising the likelihood of delays, closures and accidents.

Meteorologist Dominik Jung, Certified Meteorologist and Climate Expert, described the storm’s rapid onset. “It will start around 5 p.m. in the far west,” he said, noting that the system would move quickly across the north and northeast with “up to 25 centimetres of fresh snow,” and warned that drifting snow could worsen conditions far faster than many anticipate. “It will be dangerous in this transition zone,” Jung added, referring to the freezing-rain corridor stretching from Bremen to Berlin.

Further north, Lower Saxony and Hamburg face some of the storm’s most complex hazards. “Lower Saxony will experience the most problems, according to all models. Difficult conditions are also expected in Hamburg,” said Dr. Karsten Brandt, Founder and Managing Director of Donnerwetter.de, warning that snow, low temperatures and freezing rain are converging in the same areas.

Authorities are urging people to avoid non-essential travel. Highway traffic may grind to a halt under drifting snow, while deep cold increases the risk of mechanical failure and visibility loss. Pedestrians are advised to avoid forests, where wind and snow load can bring down branches or entire trees.

Conditions are expected to worsen once Elli passes. Temperatures in Berlin will fall sharply after sunset on January 10, with forecasts of minus 12 degrees in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, minus 17 degrees in parts of Lower Saxony and Thuringia, and around minus 20 degrees in Saxony early Sunday. “The large amounts of snow will freeze starting Saturday. Below minus ten degrees Celsius, even road salt will no longer be effective,” Dr. Brandt warned.

Looking ahead, meteorologists expect volatility rather than stability: models show a brief warm-up to around 13 degrees Celsius next week before temperatures plunge again into double-digit sub-zero levels.

For travellers already in Germany or scheduled to arrive, authorities and forecasters recommend flexibility and close monitoring of local warnings. As Jung noted, “When severe weather warnings are issued, life-threatening conditions can always occur” — underscoring that, for now, safety takes priority over travel plans.

By Tamilla Hasanova