Euro 2024 issued with tornado warning as storms forecast and fan zones closed
Euro 2024 has been hit with a tornado warning, with a number of fanzones and other services shut down as a result.
Germany's national meteorological service, DWD, has issued a severe weather warning across the western and central regions. "Supercells can form, which are accompanied by severe squalls, sometimes even hurricanes between 90 and 120 km/h (55mph to 75mph) and larger hail between 3 and 5 cm," they said.
"Heavy rain with amounts of around 30 l/sqm is also possible locally within a short period of time. Isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out." They also said the city of Cologne, which hosts Scotland's clash with Switzerland on Wednesday, is facing "severe thunderstorms with (extreme) storm potential" this evening.
The Friedensplatz fanzone and the Westfalenpark viewing areas in Dortmund have been closed as a result of the weather concerns, while similar spots in Dusseldorf and Gelesenkirchen have also been closed.
The European Championship Rhine ferry service has been suspended, with organisers explaining: "Due to an official storm warning from late morning with expected heavy rain, hail and heavy gusts of wind, all events and functions of the Host City Cologne associated with the European Championships have to be cancelled for today.
"The necessary talks with the security partners were already held yesterday evening and the preparatory measures to secure the venues were initiated. The decision to cancel all events was made on Tuesday morning after further consultation with the German Weather Service."
German meteorologist Dominik Jung also warned that there is a "risk to life", telling fans that they should be "better safe than sorry". He told German outlet BILD : "The weather situation in the west is explosive!
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"There is a risk to life. We don't currently know every place that could get hit, but we do know the region where something could happen. People will complain again: 'We didn't have anything.' But better safe than sorry.
"It looks good in most regions on Wednesday. Except in the south of Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria, where thunderstorms are possible. And that's where Stuttgart is, where Germany plays [against Hungary]."
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