Severe Thunderstorms In Europe

Event Summary | Summary
Posting Date: May 24, 2022, 1:00:00 PM

Severe thunderstorms produced three confirmed tornadoes in Germany on May 20. Storms had already swept across Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Germany the day before, bringing heavy rains and strong wind gusts, prompting reports of hundreds of flooded basements as well as uprooted trees, and travel disruptions caused by fallen trees on roads and railroad tracks.

By Friday afternoon, storms formed anew and traveled across northern France bringing heavy rainfall, large hail up to 9 cm, and damaging wind gusts. They continued into western and central Germany. One tornado-producing storm made its way through the town of Lippstadt. About 100 people were temporarily trapped at a local outdoor pool after trees blown down during the storm blocked the exit. According to the town’s fire services, the entire town suffered heavy damage.

The second tornado hit the downtown of neighboring Paderborn, a city in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia about 177 km north of Frankfurt with a population of 150,000. At least 43 injuries there were attributed to this tornado. According to Paderborn police, sheet metal, insulation, and other materials were blown kilometers away. Many roofs were blown off or badly damaged and many cars crushed by fallen trees. In nearby Hellinghausen, the steeple of St. Clemens Church was detached from the roof and dashed to pieces in the churchyard. Preliminary reports describe this tornado as possibly having traveled about 21 km, affecting the municipalities of Benhausen, Neuenbeken, and Altenbeken.

The third tornado was reported in the town of Höxter, Germany, home to 31,000 people and 30 miles east of Paderborn. Roads there were blocked, roofs stripped from houses, windows shattered, and trees snapped and uprooted.

This is the final ALERT planned for this event.

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Posting Date: May 24, 2022, 1:00:00 PM