Autumn storm "Ignatz" is picking up speed.
On Wednesday, however, the situation is still relaxed.
Meteorologists expect the strongest gusts from Thursday morning - then sometimes even with hurricane strength.
On the coast, the coastal protection is prepared for light storm surges.
Hanover - With the storm "Ignatz", the first strong autumn storm of the year is approaching Lower Saxony and Bremen. The German Weather Service (DWD) expects gusts of wind to be widespread on Thursday. A DWD meteorologist said on Wednesday that gale-force gusts with a wind speed of up to 110 kilometers per hour are possible at exposed locations such as the North Sea coast and in the high altitudes of the Harz Mountains. The storm could even reach hurricane strength on the Brocken. A series of light storm surges is also expected for the North Sea coast of Lower Saxony from Thursday.
The harbingers of the low with strong winds and showers from the southwest were already felt on Wednesday. The situation is still calm, said a police spokesman in Goslar in the afternoon. But the wind is already picking up noticeably. On Wednesday, wind speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour were expected on the Brocken in the Harz Mountains. Police and Harz National Park warned against entering forests in the region in the face of the storm. There is a mortal danger from breaking branches and falling trees. The police spokesman said that this warning was also directed at hikers and recreational athletes. There are currently autumn holidays in Lower Saxony and Bremen.
Storm low "Ignatz" is expected to reach Lower Saxony in the southwest from early Thursday morning and then move further east, said the DWD meteorologist. Widespread gusts of 8 and 9 have to be expected - also inland. Particularly in the North Sea and west of the Weser, individual thunderstorms are therefore also possible, which can also bring heavy squalls and heavy rain.
The storm surge warning service of the Lower Saxony State Office for Water Management, Coastal Protection and Nature Conservation (NLWNK) issued warnings of light storm surges. "We therefore expect a total of three increased tides on the Lower Saxony coast between Thursday noon and Friday, which will very likely cross the limit to a light storm surge on the entire coast," said the NLWKN. When there are gusts of wind from the west-northwest, the tide can then accumulate around one meter higher than the mean high tide. Beaches, foreshore and also port areas can be flooded. According to the NLWKN, the situation should relax again at the weekend.
Light storm surges are nothing unusual in autumn and winter, stressed NLWKN spokesman Carsten Lippe.
The tourism and spa businesses along the coast, like the coast guards, are preparing for the storm surge season from autumn.
From September and October the beach chairs are usually cleared from the beaches for winter storage.
On a long-term average, light storm surges can statistically occur up to ten times in the season between September and April, according to the NLWKN.
For the coastal protection systems, these did not represent “any major challenges”.
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The fire brigades in East Frisia are well prepared for the autumn storm.
"Our chainsaws are always sharpened," said spokesman Manuel Goldenstein with a view to possible storm operations.
Even in spite of the current autumn holidays, the fire brigades are well-staffed.
The spokesman advised citizens to make their houses and gardens stormproof.
For example, garden furniture should be secured and pavilions should be dismantled.
According to the NLWKN, there had already been increased water levels in a storm at the end of September, but the limit values for a slight storm surge were only exceeded in Cuxhaven.
It was said that the first storm surge, which is expected to hit the entire coast, is now deep in “Ignatz”.
dpa
