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fromClaudia Schuri
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From the point of view of meteorologists, autumn already begins on Wednesday: Thunderstorm hunters are now taking stock of the summer, which brought more storms than ever before.
Now it’s official. On September 1st, Wednesday, summer is over – at least from the point of view of meteorologists. Because then, for the weather * experts, autumn begins, which feels like it has already spread to us … It is the end of a summer in which there was a lot of storms, thunder and lightning – and in which spectacular photos were taken.
At Wolfratshausen it kept storming and crashing this year.
© Storm freaks
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It was like a dark monster spinning wildly: an impressive appearance, accompanied by an uninterrupted rumble of thunder. Michael Hutter was eight or nine years old when he first saw this weather phenomenon. “It’s very fascinating to see a thundercloud approach you,” he says. The experience was the beginning of a great passion for thunderstorms.
Weather in Bavaria: Michael Hutter (28) is a so-called storm chaser today
Today the 28-year-old from Fischbachau in the Miesbach district is a so-called storm chaser: he pursues and photographs thunderstorms all over southern Bavaria with like-minded people as a hobby. The group calls itself Storm Freaks and shares their photos and videos on social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. “We also want to warn people in good time about hail or other dangerous weather conditions,” says Hutter.
The storm chasers were particularly busy this summer. “There have been more supercell thunderstorms than there have been for a long time,” reports Hutter. Super cells are particularly large thunderstorm complexes * that are associated, for example, with heavy rain, hail, severe gusts of wind and hurricanes or even tornadoes. “They are very durable,” explains Hutter. He and the other group members have already photographed around ten supercells this year. Most of them have their origins in the Allgäu. “There are two typical train tracks,” he says. “Either the supercells are moving to the northeast or to the edge of the Alps.” Munich was lucky: “All the supercells have passed …”
Storm record: 1399 earth lightning strikes recorded in Munich this summer
But there were also some storms in the city this summer *. The Siemens lightning information service recorded 1399 earth lightning strikes in Munich by the end of last week. For comparison: in 2020 there were 698 earth lightning bolts – and in 2019 only 374 earth lightning bolts. The number of earth lightning strikes across Bavaria is already 144,000 this year. In the entire previous year it was 114,000 … “In terms of lightning density, the district of Starnberg as well as Augsburg and Kempten are currently ahead,” says a spokeswoman.
“June and July were very thunderstorm-heavy,” reports Guido Wolz, meteorologist at the German Weather Service (DWD). He emphasizes: “This has not yet to do directly with climate fluctuations, but is always due to the current weather situation.” Many and severe thunderstorms occur in particular when humid, subtropical air reaches us from the southwest in summer.
Michael Hutter is on the hunt for the most spectacular thunderstorm photos with his camera.
© Thomas Plettenberg
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The storm freaks always analyze the weather very carefully. “Four or five days before, there is already a tendency for severe thunderstorms,” says Michael Hutter. “Security is then relatively high one or two days in advance.” The group sometimes travels abroad for particularly unusual thunderstorms. Next year a trip to “Tornado Alley” in the USA is planned for photography.
Regardless of whether you are far away or in Bavaria: “You never drive alone, otherwise it can quickly become dangerous,” says Hutter. Therefore, in addition to the driver, there is always a navigator and someone who follows the weather maps. “The art is always staying dry,” explains the 28-year-old. “We don’t want to be right in the thunderstorm, we prefer to stay in front of it.” This is where the most beautiful photos and videos are created. Michael Hutter is still fascinated by the violence of thunderstorms every time: “You can just feel how uncontrollable nature is …”* Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
By the way: Our Bavaria newsletter informs you about all developments and results from the Free State about the upcoming federal election – and of course about all other important stories from Bavaria.
List of rubric lists: © Unwetter-Freaks
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