Overview
- The German Weather Service forecasts 10–20 centimeters of new snow from the North Sea into eastern regions, strong winds and localized freezing rain in the south and west, and officials urge people to avoid non‑essential travel after early accidents including a fatal crash near Gehrde.
- Hamburg and Bremen will close all schools on Friday with remote learning and emergency care, and numerous districts in Lower Saxony are canceling in‑person classes.
- Deutsche Bahn warns of delays and cancellations, imposes slower running on select high‑speed routes, and allows flexible use of long‑distance tickets purchased for Thursday through Saturday.
- Ferry operators cancel Friday services to the North Sea Halligen and suspend morning links between Amrum and Föhr and Dagebüll, with additional changes possible depending on conditions.
- In the Ruhr area, pre‑planned closures at Duisburg’s Kreuz Kaiserberg proceed during the storm, including A40/A3 shutdowns and a Jan. 9–Feb. 6 rail blockade that suspends direct Duisburg–Essen trains.