Overview

• A storm in Berlin on Monday reached force-11 winds and killed a woman when a falling tree struck her car, even though forecasts had flagged the risk a day earlier.
• The Deutscher Wetterdienst did not issue an official warning for Berlin, citing the challenge of forecasting local extremes and the risk that too many false alarms would erode public trust.
• Franz-Josef Molé, head of the DWD’s forecasting center, explains that minute differences in thunderstorm development can mean the difference between harmless weather and destructive gusts.
• The DWD is deploying artificial intelligence to merge weather, environmental and vegetation data, but veteran meteorologists remain essential for interpreting complex storm scenarios.
• A new natural hazard portal now offers real-time alerts and guidance to help residents recognize warning signs and take precautionary measures against sudden severe weather.