Flood alarm lifted: safety for Lichtenfels and Bayreuth!

Flood alarm lifted: safety for Lichtenfels and Bayreuth!

In recent days, the region around Lichtenfels and Bayreuth has had to deal with flood warnings due to heavy rainfall. But today, September 23, 2025, the redeeming news comes: the flood warnings were lifted at 7:00 a.m [news.de]. This was officially announced at 7:17 a.m. after the warning level was issued at 3:33 p.m. the previous day.

The autumnal weather in Germany has not only affected the Lichtenfels region. In general, inland waters and coastal regions in Germany are often affected by critical water levels and risks caused by changing weather conditions. Thanks to the latest model calculations, flood control centers are already warning of increasing amounts of precipitation, which often increase towards the end of the year.

Weather conditions and flood atlas

While the all-clear has now been given in Lichtenfels, climate change is in many ways a decisive factor in the occurrence of flood events. gdz.bkg.bund.de explains that increasingly hotter summers in Germany can lead to more intense but also less frequent precipitation. Not only can these cause flooding, but they can also cause serious damage.

The flood atlas from the BKG (Federal Office for Cartography and Geodesy) plays a particularly central role here. It offers a free, interactive platform that brings together flood-relevant data and current specialist data.

This atlas has, among other things, an important function: It visualizes the amounts of precipitation, flows of rivers and forecasts for the coming days. Despite this helpful information, responsibility for specific alerts and data remains with the relevant authorities.

Climate change and its consequences

But what does this mean for the future? A current study shows that thunderstorm and flood events are becoming increasingly dramatic due to climate change. According to science.apa.at, short-term precipitation and flood events have increased by around 15% in the last 30-40 years. This means that smaller rivers suffer particularly badly from short-term rainfall, increasing the risk of flooding.

Long-term precipitation, on the other hand, is influenced by global weather conditions, such as El Niño. Research makes it clear that assessing flood risks requires a differentiated approach: While smaller bodies of water react more quickly to precipitation, larger rivers such as the Danube operate over longer periods of time.

In summary, it should be noted that while the Lichtenfels region can enjoy a relaxing all-clear, the overarching problem of climatic changes must continue to be kept in mind. The population is encouraged to always follow the official instructions from municipalities and fire brigade control centers in order to be able to react quickly and prudently in an emergency.