
Friday, 10 January
Heavy snowfall in Berlin causes accidents and delays
Berlin and Brandenburg were blanketed in thick, wet snow on Thursday, causing hazardous road conditions, traffic jams, and delays across the city. The Verkehrs-Informationszentrale (VIZ) described the situation as “winter chaos spreading across Berlin” in a post on X during the evening rush hour.
The A100 bore the brunt of the disruptions, with accidents leading to extensive traffic jams across several sections. Brandenburg’s police observed a spike in weather-related incidents, mostly minor collisions resulting in vehicle damage.
The winter weather also disrupted public transport. In Wittenau, a fallen tree blocked railway tracks, causing delays and cancellations on S-Bahn lines S1 and S85. The Deutsche Wetterdienst (DWD) predicts that Berlin and northern Brandenburg will accumulate 3–8 centimeters of snow by Friday morning, with slightly smaller amounts expected in southern Brandenburg.
To combat the icy conditions, the BSR deployed 2,300 workers and 540 clearing vehicles. As of late 2024, its reserves included 13,000 tons of salt, 2,100 cubic meters of brine, and 5,000 tons of grit – ample supplies for a wintery onslaught.