Southern Germany has been grappled with intense snowfall, causing widespread disruptions at Munich Airport, the nation’s second-busiest hub.
The airport took the unprecedented step of suspending flights until 6 a.m. on Sunday.
Approximately 320 out of 760 scheduled flights for Saturday were canceled, as crews worked tirelessly to maintain at least one operational runway.
Germany’s DWD weather service forecasted extended snowfall throughout Saturday afternoon in much of Bavaria, anticipating accumulations of 30-40 centimeters (12-15 inches) in some areas within a 12-hour period.
The airport braced for additional delays due to the ongoing snowfall.
The heavy snowfall also severely impacted Munich’s public transport, with most local bus and tram services canceled.
The road conditions prompted the city’s fire service to fit snow chains on fire trucks, ensuring safe response during the challenging weather.
Football journalist Archie Rhind-Tutt, returning to Munich from Helsinki, expressed surprise at the continued wintry conditions.
The scheduled Bundesliga game between Bayern Munich and Union Berlin was eventually canceled due to the heavy snowfall.
Similar weather conditions were reported in nearby Bavarian cities like Augsburg.
The week’s heavy snowfall follows a trend of unusually early winter weather across Germany. Ski slopes on the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, opened on Friday, marking the earliest start to the ski season in years.
The mountain boasted approximately 2 meters of snow at the season’s outset, the most since 2007.
The wintry conditions led to dozens of road traffic accidents across southern Germany, including a mass collision on a southwest highway with seven injuries, four of them severe.
Earlier in the week, snowfall was reported in Berlin, while much of the country experienced light snow or freezing temperatures.