German weather service issues snow warning during heatwave
In an embarrassing mix-up, the German weather office issues snow alert as the country swelters in 35C heat
A paraglider lands at sunset at Kronsberg in Hannover, Germany Photo: EPA
By Justin Huggler, Berlin
2:49PM BST 02 Jul 2015
The German Met Office has issued a snow warning in the middle of the heatwave, in an embarrassing mix-up during tests for a new warning system.
The national weather service sent out an email alert warning of four inches of snowfall and 37mph winds as the country sweltered in 95F (35C) temperatures.
The email warned of possible snowdrifts and ice on the roads, and advised people to leave their cars at home.
The weathermen issued their warning for the first two days of July – just as the heatwave that has been baking Britain reached Germany.
The alert was issued for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where a temperature of 95F (35C) was recorded on Thursday.
An aerial view shows people cooling off at a beach on the shores of the Silbersee lake on a hot summer day in Haltern, Germany
Temperatures could reach as high as 104F (40C) in some areas over the weekend.
The weather service explained that it was testing a new warning system, and the email was sent out in error.
“Unfortunately this completely wrong message was sent to subscribers,” Sebastian Schappert, a spokesman, told the Rheinische Post newspaper.
“Of course snowdrifts and ice are not to be expected at the temperatures we have outdoors.”
The mistaken warning caused much amusement on social media.
A young woman spalshes in the waters of the Airport Lake as she cools off near the Tegel Airport in Berlin, Germany
“Yes, ice cream is very much to be seen today, but the #weatherservice warns #snowdrifts in NRW,” tweeted Gregor Mayntz.
“Should I buy road salt?” tweeted Jörg Fischer.
The weather service issued its own apologetic tweet.
“Snowdrifts warning? (No) joke. :( Technical fault,” it read. “Sorry.”
