Germany Braces for Severe Winter Storm 'Elli' with Major Transport Disruptions and School Closures

Germany is currently facing extreme winter weather as storm 'Elli' sweeps across the country, bringing heavy snowfall, ice, and strong winds. The German Weather Service (DWD) has issued warnings for more than 300 cities and counties, including orange alerts in numerous regions such as northern and eastern Germany. Snowfall is expected to range between 10 to 40 centimeters in a wide band from the North Sea to the east, with some areas like Dresden, Berlin, and Hamburg likely to experience prolonged snow cover and temperatures plummeting to minus 15 degrees Celsius at night.\n\nThe storm's powerful gusts, reaching up to 90 km/h in places, have created dangerous conditions on roads, with reports of accidents including a fatal incident in Niedersachsen due to icy surfaces. Authorities across Germany have strongly advised the public against unnecessary travel, underscoring the risks of blitzeis (freezing rain) and snowdrifts that will impair visibility and complicate driving. Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder confirmed that 6,300 road maintenance workers are deployed nationwide, and Deutsche Bahn anticipates disruptions with options for ticket rescheduling. Regional transport officials have urged individuals to postpone trips where possible.\n\nEmergency services anticipate increased injuries from slips and falls, notably among vulnerable populations. As a precaution, all schools in the Cuxhaven district will be closed on January 9, including special needs and vocational schools, reflecting broader closures reported in cities like Hamburg and Bremen. Shelter organizations have also raised alarms about the risk of hypothermia for homeless people amid the plummeting temperatures and have called for immediate protective measures.\n\nMeteorologists stress that despite climate trends towards milder winters, severe cold spells and storm patterns such as 'Elli' remain possible, creating hazardous conditions that demand preparedness and caution from residents and authorities alike.