Severe storms cause havoc - Has the flooding reached the Ahr valley now?
In the nearby region of Rhineland-Palatinate, communities like Trier-Saarburg, Ruwer, Saarburg-Kell, Southern Palatinate, Trier, Zweibrücken, Pirmasens, and Ludwigshafen have experienced ongoing rainfall.
Is the river in the Ahr Valley subsiding?
The Ahr River may be indicating a lessening of the flood situation. The maximum level forecast has decreased substantially, reaching just 180 centimeters in Altenahr, which is 80 centimeters below the two-year flood level, as reported by a fire brigade official.
However, experts are still keeping an eye on the river levels in the region. This flood event, per the State Office for Environmental Protection and Occupational Safety, is one that appears every 20 to 50 years.
Numerous torrents are rushing towards the major rivers.
Weather specialist Brandt states, "The Moselle wave swells to 8-9 meters, but it causes minimal harm as it flows through slowly. The Rhine doubles in size in 24-36 hours, yet it still moves at a moderate pace, so it's not a significant issue."
The Lower Blies is anticipated to continue rising until Saturday afternoon. The DWD has reported over 100 liters of rain per square meter in less than 24 hours in certain places. These levels of water and the weak infrastructure cannot withstand such enormous rainfall.
Compare this to April 2021, when 74 liters of rain fell per square meter in Saarland - that's one-sixth more precipitation than for the month normally sees.
The Rhine will reach 5.5 meters in Koblenz, 6.5 meters in Bonn, and 6 to 7 meters in Cologne by Monday.
Weather expert Brandt adds, "It's crucial to evacuate campsites along the Rhine to prevent campers from standing in the water. The water levels will be high for an extended period."
Another storm expected on Tuesday
NRW, Rhineland-Palatinate, and potentially Lower Saxony will likely experience further inclement weather next week. Saarland could also face another round of flooding. A slow-moving, 100 liter-per-square-meter low is approaching. This spring seems to be cursed.
What is considered prolonged rain?
The German Weather Service (DWD) defines continuous rain as "a continuous period of precipitation with predominantly uniform rainfall rates" within the range of under 5 liters per square meter an hour. Typical continuous rainfall in our region usually covers a more extensive area. The DWD's meteorologists caution that if it's foreseeable that certain thresholds will be surpassed, it may be classified as continuous rain in several stages.
The highest warning level, level 4, is issued when rainfall over 70 liters per square meter within 12 hours, 80 liters per square meter within 24 hours, or 90 liters per square meter over 48 hours is anticipated.
The DWD classifies torrential rain as substantial amounts of rainfall within a short time in a limited area. The defining characteristic is "high rainfall intensity" - hefty rainfall exceeds more than 5 liters per square meter at a rapid pace.
The flooding crisis is not yet over.
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Source: symclub.org
