"Rarely so dangerous" Tornadoes and giant hail are possible if a thunderstorm breaks out.

2026-06-20

Germany is facing a highly unstable weather situation, with meteorologists warning that severe thunderstorms could develop rapidly across multiple regions on Friday. Conditions are described as unusually volatile, with the potential for extreme weather events.

Experts say the atmosphere currently contains a large amount of energy, while a stable air layer is temporarily suppressing storm development. If that layer breaks, thunderstorms could intensify quickly, creating dangerous supercell systems.

The most severe impacts are expected from the Eifel region through East Frisia and Bremen, where large hail, torrential rain, powerful wind gusts, and even tornado formation cannot be ruled out. Other affected regions include Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, and parts of eastern Germany between Berlin and Dresden.

Meteorologists warn that storm activity may begin with systems developing in France, which could then move into Germany and trigger further thunderstorm formation. This chain reaction could lead to rapidly escalating weather conditions, particularly in western areas such as Aachen and the Eifel region.

The highest risk window is expected between late afternoon and evening, with the most intense phase forecast between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Storm activity could continue until late night, and there is uncertainty over whether storms will merge into fast-moving storm lines affecting cities further north.

Authorities also caution that additional severe weather could follow on Saturday, as similar atmospheric conditions may again allow thunderstorms to form and spread into Germany from neighboring regions.