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Northern Germany Braces for Renewed Snow as Hamburg Lifts Sidewalk Salt Ban

Forecasters expect a strengthening Atlantic system to deliver heavy snow with storm gusts late in the week.

Overview

  • Hamburg has temporarily allowed rock salt on foot and cycle paths until January 21 and is reminding property owners of their legal duty to clear sidewalks, with severe violations risking fines up to €50,000.
  • City crews report sustained full-scale operations in Hamburg with hundreds of staff and vehicles, yet officials say comprehensive clearing is not feasible as ice persists on lesser-priority routes.
  • Winter service capacity faces additional strain in Schleswig-Holstein, where a strike call at LBV.SH threatens reduced coverage on federal, state and county roads.
  • Local services report heavy material use and spot shortages: Fehmarn used about 40 tons of salt but is restocking, and Stralsund received emergency supplies from the state road authority.
  • The DWD projects 15 to 20 centimeters of new snow in the north on Thursday and Friday with drifting and coastal gusts, while Deutsche Bahn warns of continuing regional delays and partial cancellations in Lower Saxony and Bremen.