Warning! Hurricane-like storms and heavy rain expected over Berlin!

Warning! Hurricane-like storms and heavy rain expected over Berlin!

On the night of Friday, June 26, 2025, something is brewing over Berlin and Brandenburg that calls the weather services onto the scene. The German Weather Service (DWD) warns of violent thunderstorms that will hit the region with hurricane-force winds, heavy rain and hail. The fire departments in Berlin and Brandenburg are already preparing for the upcoming storms that are expected in the afternoon and evening. “There’s something going on!” confirm the meteorologists, who predict rainfall of up to 20 liters per square meter for the day. In particularly affected areas, the amount of rain could even reach 30 liters per square meter, while hail with grain sizes of up to 2 cm could also occur. Storm gusts with speeds between 70 and 85 km/h are also possible, locally even up to 105 km/h, as stadtblatt-online.de reports.

But the threat of severe weather is not new. Just recently, on June 23rd, the storm “Ziros” created dangerous conditions, with a maximum wind speed of 108 km/h, which corresponds to wind force 11, being measured at the Free University of Berlin. This storm led to more than 500 fire brigade operations in Berlin and left a trail of destruction. The fire department reported a fatal accident when a tree fell on a stopped car in the Spandau Forest. The incident is a clear indication of how serious the situation is during such weather phenomena, as [rbb24.de](https://www.rbb24.de/panorama/teil/2025/06/dwd-einschaetzung-warning-sturm-ziros-spranger- Fehleinschaetzung.html) shows.

Preparations and measures

Berlin's Senator for the Interior, Iris Spranger, has already announced that she wants to evaluate the DWD's warnings. “The Berlin fire department was already in a state of emergency,” said Spranger. The situation is serious and emergency services are called upon to minimize risks to the population. In many parts of Brandenburg, hundreds of fire service operations were registered due to fallen trees and other weather effects. Heavy squalls also caused disruptions to rail traffic. Extinguishing three fires, which were probably caused by lightning strikes, was also one of the challenges of the past weekend.

The warnings are continuously updated on the Severe Weather Center so that citizens can get information around the clock. The system differentiates between advance warnings (YELLOW) and acute warnings, with the latter confirming the occurrence of a natural hazard. While the warning levels range from ORANGE for moderate storms to RED for severe storms to VIOLET for the most extreme weather conditions, the population is well advised to prepare for possible storms in good time.

An increase in storm activity is expected in the coming hours, especially in the early evening hours. Residents and travelers should be prepared for sudden weather changes and possible damage. The fire department and other authorities are ready to provide support in an emergency. What impact the weather situation will ultimately have remains to be seen, but the advance warnings are clear and should be taken seriously.