Communities have been cut off, travel disrupted and more avalanches set off as a fresh wave of wintry weather hit southern Germany and Austria. The weight of the snow is a major danger.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/DLRG Bayern
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Heavy snow creates chaos in southern Germany and Austria
Snowfall has created chaos in Bavaria and neighboring areas with no sign of letting up. From falling tree warnings to major transport disruption, DW takes a look at the extreme weather phenomenon crippling the south.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/L. Mirgeler
'Snow chaos'
For days, the German state of Bavaria has been inundated by massive amounts of snow. Munich police urged drivers to deal with the snow covering their vehicles or face potential fines after tweeting a picture of a car (not this one!) shrouded in ice at a stoplight. German media has dubbed the extreme weather phenomenon "Schneechaos" — or snow chaos.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/T. Hase
Helping out
In Berchtesgaden, a town in the Bavarian Alps near the Austrian border, Germany's armed forces — the Bundeswehr — had to deliver much-needed supplies in the middle of the night. The reason: the road to the village was cut off by the sheer amount of snow fall. As such, the military had the only transport vehicles able to reach the area. Local tram services were also in no state to run.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/T. Hase
Snow pyramid
A festive pyramid diorama was covered in snow in Schönheide, a town near the Czech border in eastern Germany. Snow plows have been pressed to find places to pile the snow from the street after a blizzard powdered the Ore Mountains.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/V. Heinz
Roof brigade
Firefighters dislodged piles of snow from a roof in the western Austrian town of Mariazell. Since January 5, around 3,700 firefighters have been called upon in the Austrian state of Styria to help deal with the flurry.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Fink
Stuck
For some, the snow kept them from reaching home. Hundreds of drivers had to sleep in their vehicles overnight after being trapped on the highway between Munich and Salzburg. In an editorial, the conservative newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) said climate change may be a contributing factor to the "chaotic amounts of snow" and shows how quickly areas can be changed by its effects.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/B. März
Air support
A "Super Puma" helicopter was prepared for takeoff in a parking lot in Schönau am Königsee, a town in southeast Bavaria. The helicopters were used to blow snow from trees and onto roads to prevent trees and their branches from falling onto cars passing by.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/L. Mirgeler
Emergency work
A fireman cleared off snow from a roof in the Berchtesgaden region of Bavaria near the Austrian border. More than 1,000 emergency workers were dispatched to Upper Bavaria to deal with the snow.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/L. Mirgeler
More warnings
But Bavaria wasn't the only place in Germany to be affected by the snowfall. North of Bavaria in the German state of Thuringia, park authorities warned people against entering forests, saying enormous snow loads threatened to bring down numerous trees. Several roads were also closed by deep snow and fallen trees.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Reichel
Snow day
While not nearly as chaotic as Bavaria and Thuringia, the German state of Baden-Württemberg received plenty of snow too. In Stuttgart, buildings were covered by the white powder frost, while in some parts of the state, school children were allowed to take the day off.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Weißbrod
Freezing neighbors
For days now, Austrian authorities have issued avalanche warnings for its Alpine slopes. At least eight people have been killed by weather-related incidents. In some cases, rescuers have had to save people stranded in cut-off areas. On Thursday, nine tourists from Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Hungary had to be rescued after venturing off-piste in the Zell am See resort area.
While Germany and Austria have received a lot of extreme weather coverage, that doesn't mean other parts of Europe weren't inundated by snowfall. As far south as Greece, refugee children took it as an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with a snowball or two. Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy and Turkey also received their share.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/ANE
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Germany, Austria and Switzerland have been hit by deadly winter storms over the last week. Meteorologists have dubbed the extreme weather phenomenon "snow chaos," warning that more is yet to come.
In Austria, a man shovelling snow fell off a roof and died
A dozen bus passengers were injured in snow-related accidents
A 300-metre-wide avalanche struck a hotel in the southern German town of Balderschwan
The German weather service forecast that snow would stop either late Monday or early Tuesday, giving the region about 48 hours without new snowfall.
The weight of the snow on buildings, trees and power lines has been a major challenge for local authorities, police and army personnel brought in to help.
Some areas remain cut off: 17,000 people were reported to be stranded in the Salzburg region alone.
While the snow was forecast to ease overnight to Tuesday, more falls are expected on Thursday, with more snow at lower altitudes as well as in the mountains.
The risk of flooding in lower-lying regions of Germany is also increasing as rivers and streams rise over their banks.
Shovelling snow in BavariaImage: picture alliance/dpa/L. Mirgeler
Here are the winter-weather related events during Monday:
17:49 By Monday evening, the German Weather Service said the snowfall looked set to ease, and would gradually subside on Tuesday evening.
16:19 In Austria, a 47-year-old man who had been clearing snow from the roof of a house near Salzburg was killed by an avalanche. He and three other men were carried away by the masses of snow.
14:16 The German Weather Service (DWD) said up to one and a half meters of fresh snow were expected in exposed Alpine congested areas until Tuesday evening, and up to 70 centimeters in the Alpine foothills.
13:38 German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said more than 200 police offers have been dispatched to help out with emergency efforts in Bavaria.
12:57 A bus operated by the budget travel company Flixbus flipped on its side in Austria. At least 13 people were injured in the accident.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Rotes Kreuz
12:23 The Bavarian hunting association warned that the masses of snow pose a life-threatening situation for animals in the area. The association wants to use helicopters to drop hay bales for the animals. "Extreme situations call for extreme measures," said spokesman Thomas Schreder.
11:47 #ICYMI Last week, the Bundeswehr had to deliver supplies to the Alpine town of Berchtesgaden. Here's a photo from the operation:
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. März
11:39 Don't know where to start with all the coverage of the deadly winter storms? Here's a wrap-up of the heavy snowfall that has wreaked havoc across Germany, Austria and other parts of central Europe.
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11:33 Several schools have been closed in Bavaria due to heavy snow. It is the second week of cancellations.
11:13 Extreme weather: global warming or exaggeration? Let us know what you think in our poll.
11:09 German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer visited the fire department of Berchtesgaden, an Alpine town that was cut off by massive amounts of snow. Last week, the Bundeswehr delivered much-needed supplies to the snow-covered town.
Austria: avalanche danger
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10:42 Police in Bavaria have warned that more rain and snow forecast in the coming days could give rise to dangerous flood waters. In some parts, the water has already started to rise.
10:34 In Austria, uncertainty about weather conditions has made it difficult for many to go to work. For those working on the slopes, it's even nearly impossible, according to DW correspondent Amien Essif.
10:27 A large avalanche slammed into a hotel in Bavaria, prompting an evacuation of more than 100 of its occupants. The hotel owner described "massive damage" to at least four buildings.
