A TORNADO warning has been issued for the 2024 Euros as storms are set to hit Germany and fanzones have been shut down.
Fans have even been warned of possible twisters and a danger to life warning has been raised as the country braces for heavy storms.
AlamyWeather forecasters have predicted storms (Pictured: lightning strikes in Germany, May 2024)[/caption]
RexEngland fans shelter from rain in the fan zone in Gelsenkirchen, during the Serbia v England game[/caption]
RexHeavy rain, hailstones and hurricane winds could hit the west of Germany (Pictured: storms in Saxony)[/caption]
Germany‘s weather service, DWD, predicted severe weather and strong thunderstorms would hit western and central regions today.
Meteorologists have not been able to rule out tornadoes in the same areas while hailstones, hurricane gusts and heavy rain are also expected.
In a blow for football fans there to watch the games – events across the country have been cancelled following the weather warnings.
Two festival spots – the Friedensplatz fan zone and public viewing spot at Westfalenpark – have been closed down, BILD reports.
They host those who haven’t managed to bag tickets to the match but want in on the excitement, and offer activities, live music and viewing opportunities.
Fan zones in Euros host cities Dortmund, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Gelsenkirchen – all in the North Rhine Westphalia state, have been shut.
For now the fan zone in Leipzig is still open.
Tonight Turkey is set to take on Georgia at 6pm in Dortmund and Portugal will play the Czech Republic at 9pm in Leipzig.
The DWD website reads: “Heavy thunderstorms in the southwest.
“From midday, heavy thunderstorms in the west and central parts, in the evening, also in the east.”
Weather forecasters warned the German outlet of a “risk to life” but said it’s better to be “safe than sorry” when it comes to Euro fanzones.
Meteorologist Dominik Jung from wetter.net said: “The weather situation in the west is explosive!
“There is a risk to life. We don’t currently know every place that could get hit, but we do know the region where something could happen.
“People will complain again: ‘We didn’t have anything.’ But better safe than sorry.”
He also said thunderstorms could hit the areas of Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria on Wednesday.
Germany is set to take on Hungary at the Stuttgart stadium in that region on Wednesday at 5pm.
Jung said: “It looks good in most regions on Wednesday. Except in the south of Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria, where thunderstorms are possible. And that’s where Stuttgart is, where Germany plays.”
The DWD has also warned that thunderstorms could hit eastern Germany in areas like Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia beginning this afternoon.
German stadiums playing host to Euros matches in the country are dotted all around.
It includes Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena and Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park – two of Europe’s biggest grounds.
Climate expert Dr Karsten Brandt from Donnerwetter.de also told BILD: “Storm pressure system Wibke is approaching.
“On the one hand, there is a strip of continuous thunderstorms from the Netherlands across the Munsterland and Luneburg Heath.
“Here, 30-40 /m² will fall in six to eight hours. South of this, in the whole of NRW, Rhineland-Palatinate, in the south of Hesse, and also in Saarland and Saxony-Anhalt, there will be heavy thunderstorms from midday.”
RexThe DWD – Germany’s national weather service – has warned of bad weather across the country today[/caption]
dwd.deA weather map released by Germany’s meteorology service the DWD[/caption]