After summery days, it will be a little cooler again in Lower Austria this week. This change in the weather also increases the risk of hail and thunderstorms. The hail insurance forecast predicts this especially in the north of the state. Heavy rain could also occur.
“It is difficult to predict which regions of Lower Austria there will be storms or hail. “Especially when there is a storm, things can change very quickly regionally,” explains hail insurance spokesman Mario Winkler.
According to meteorologist Clemens Biermair from “GeoSphere”, winds of up to 60 to 70 km/h can be expected. Thunderstorms could also occur in the Waldviertel north of the Danube on Monday afternoon, and there will be widespread showers on Tuesday night. Otherwise, Biermair is not assuming a big “classic summer thunderstorm”. The energy in the air is still too low for that.
When it comes to hail insurance, it is still advisable to take precautions just to be on the safe side. This is only possible to a limited extent in agriculture. Hail protection nets can be installed in wine and fruit growing areas. Farmers can also ensure that glass houses and polytunnels are protected from large hailstones. This is not possible with fields and arable crops that have already been planted. Here, farmers can only hope that the forecasts change in the short term or that the damage is limited.
According to Winkler, it is easier for private individuals to make everything hail-proof. He advises parking the car in the garage and getting anything that could break in the garden to safety in good time. According to Biermair, this is also recommended due to the forecast wind: “Due to possible falling branches, it is definitely a good idea not to park your car under trees.”