Germany's ice storm closes schools, cancels flights, and disrupts railways
Dozens of flights grounded at Frankfurt airport, thousands of students shifted to distance learning as dangerous freezing rain swept across western Germany
BERLIN
Freezing rain created hazardous ice conditions across western Germany on Monday, forcing the cancellation of over 100 flights at Frankfurt airport and closing schools in several states as authorities warned of life-threatening travel conditions.
The German Weather Service issued its second-highest warning level for large parts of the country as storm Gunda brought rain that froze on contact with cold ground surfaces, creating what meteorologists described as a widespread ice emergency.
The Weather Service recommended that drivers avoid travel if possible, but if necessary, to fuel up completely and carry blankets and warm drinks in case of emergencies.
Schools remained closed Monday in North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Bremen. Students shifted to remote learning rather than receiving a day off.
"This is not a school holiday," North Rhine-Westphalia's Education Minister Dorothee Feller told public broadcaster WDR. She explained that classes had simply moved to distance learning so no one would get injured on what could be a dangerous route to school.
Several motorways in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse experienced severe slowdowns Monday morning as commuters encountered icy roads. Multiple accidents were reported in the Sauerland region.
Rail services also faced major disruptions across the country. Germany's national railway operator, Deutsche Bahn, reduced speeds on several routes—including connections between Hannover and Frankfurt, Wolfsburg and Berlin, and Cologne and Frankfurt.
Frankfurt Airport, one of Europe's busiest hubs, cancelled 102 out of 1,052 flights scheduled for Monday. A Fraport spokesperson suggested that the number of cancellations could increase as weather conditions continued to worsen throughout the day.
Passengers were urged to verify their flight status before heading to the airport and to allow extra travel time due to weather conditions. The airport also recommended arriving at least three hours before scheduled departures.
