Danger of severe weather in NRW: Heavy rain and thunderstorms are threatening this weekend!

Danger of severe weather in NRW: Heavy rain and thunderstorms are threatening this weekend!

A hot day is coming up in North Rhine-Westphalia: June 14, 2025 was the hottest day of the year with temperatures of up to 34 degrees Celsius. But summer high pressure also brings its downsides. Heavy thunderstorms and heavy rain could cause excitement at the weekend, but the weather situation remains threatening. [wa.de].

There is currently a level 2 weather warning for several regions, which is valid until midnight on Sunday, June 15th. The focus is particularly on areas such as Aachen, Bielefeld and the districts of Gütersloh and Paderborn. The weather could change dramatically and the warning covers a wide range of severe weather, some of which may be extreme. The severe weather threat has been continuously updated by the meteorologists at the severe weather center and affects a large part of North Rhine-Westphalia, including Cologne.

Severe weather warnings and their effects

Thunderstorm cells became active over Cologne on Saturday. The first cell was reported at 1:57 p.m. and the severe weather warning for the city was in effect until 3 p.m. Larger thunderstorm complexes are expected up to the center of the country on Sunday night, bringing heavy rain and the risk of flooding. Precipitation of up to 40 liters per square meter and gusts of wind with speeds of up to 110 km/h are possible, as unwetterzentrale.de reports.

But the weather could cause chaos not only in Cologne, but also in the rest of North Rhine-Westphalia. The severe weather center provides a detailed overview map showing the dangers in different regions. Areas such as the Lower Rhine lowlands or the Cologne Bay have special warnings. Anyone planning a trip or spending time outdoors should keep these warnings in mind.

Preparing for the storm

The warnings from the German Weather Service (DWD) are categorized into four levels: from mild danger in level 1 to extreme storms in level 4. The DWD warns of severe thunderstorms that can lead to flooding, especially in urban areas. The Climate Atlas of North Rhine-Westphalia points out that such severe weather warnings are not just sporadic; they pose a threat to public safety and are issued annually.

So if you head to the Eifel next night, you should be prepared for a temperature drop of up to 8 degrees. The change in weather also brings a maximum of 19 degrees at high altitudes. It promises to be an uncomfortable weekend, where everyone is well advised to pay attention to the weather developments.

In summary, we are in a tense weather situation. The current weather warnings and the possibility of extreme storms should be taken seriously. Check regularly for the latest information at klimaatlas.nrw.de and keep yourself up to date so that you can react in a timely manner.