Latest California storm turns deadly, breaks levee

WET WHEELS Cars are partially submerged in floodwaters in Watsonville, California on Saturday, March 11, 2023. AP PHOTO

March 13, 2023 

 By Agence France-Presse 

PAJARO, California: Another powerful storm pummeled California overnight into Saturday, forcing thousands to evacuate and killing at least two people, while causing a levee to give way in coastal Monterey County.

"We were hoping to avoid and prevent this situation, but the worst-case scenario has arrived with the Pajaro River overtopping and levee breaching at about midnight," Luis Alejo, a Monterey County supervisor, said on Twitter on Saturday.

Residents told Agence France-Presse (AFP) they were alerted by local fire officials in the middle of the night that they needed to evacuate.

"Just the noise of the fire department — their sirens and all — woke us up," said Moses, a resident of the area for about 20 years who preferred to give only his first name.

He said officials later came and knocked on his door multiple times, but that he decided to wait until 5 a.m. to make a decision.

After returning home from surveying the flooding, Moses said water was beginning to cover his street.

"That's when I told my wife: 'Hey, we got to get out of here,'" he added.

The area remained under a flood warning on Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service said.

On Friday night, state emergency services director Nancy Ward announced that the storm had already claimed at least two lives.

Images posted on Twitter by the state's National Guard account showed guardsmen rescuing residents trapped in their cars by high water.

At least one road was washed away in Santa Cruz County, just north of Monterey.

Residents in several towns, mostly in the north, have been ordered to evacuate.

An unusually intense and seemingly endless series of storms has battered California for weeks.

The latest storm was expected to dump as much as 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain on already saturated ground.

Part of a powerful atmospheric river, known as a "Pineapple Express" — for the warm, subtropical moisture it brings from Hawaii — this latest storm will speed the melting of the enormous snowpack that has built up in higher elevations.

The resulting runoff threatens to aggravate already serious flooding.

In Pajaro on Saturday, the fire department and national guard used drones to survey the flooded areas, checking for people stranded in their homes, AFP reporters saw.

Two cousins, Angel Martinez and Christian Garcia, waded through the water carrying a plastic bag of food salvaged from the kitchen.

They told AFP their neighborhood was a "wreck," with water 3-feet (1-meter) deep in their backyard.

They were only able to grab cellular phone chargers, some blankets and a first aid kit when they hastily evacuated.

US President Joe Biden on Friday approved an emergency declaration that clears the way to expedite federal aid to the western state.

Biden called Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday to reaffirm full federal support for the impact of flooding and landslides on the state, a White House pool report said.

Newsom said California was "deploying every tool we have to protect communities from the relentless and deadly storms battering our state."

Storms in January were blamed for the deaths of 20 people.

Frasco couple gives off 'newlywed' vibes in Berlin

BY ELLSON QUISMORIO

Mar 13, 2023 07:36 AM

  

---

AT A GLANCE

• It's easy to mistake Cebu 5th district Rep. Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco and Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco for newlyweds with the way they look at each other.

---

It's already March, but it still feels like love month when you're around Cebu 5th district Rep. Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco and his wife, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco.

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco gets 'interviewed' by Cebu 5th district Rep. Vincent Franco "Duke" Frasco in Berlin, Germany. (Facebook)

The couple always gives off "newlywed" vibes, as what can be seen in this recent Facebook upload from the Cebu congressman.

Apparently, Rep. Frasco was pretending to interview the tourism chief on the sidelines of the International Tourismus Borse (ITB) in Berlin, Germany.

(Facebook)

"It was also great to meet the Filipino community based in Germany during the Bisita Be My Guest launch," the House deputy speaker wrote in a separate post.

The Frascos have been married since August 2009. They have four children.

Learn to live by faith

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

THAT gospel episode where Christ in the synagogue in Nazareth faulted the people for their lack of faith (cfr. Lk 4,24-30) reminds us that we have to learn how to live by faith, with our thoughts and intentions and everything in our interior world mainly inspired and directed by faith rather than just by our human estimation of things. We have to be wary of our tendency to literally disparage this divine gift of faith.

“There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land,” he said. “It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

The reaction of his townmates to these words was one of fury. They even wanted to throw him from a cliff. That’s how bad we can also be with respect to our attitude toward being guided by faith. We prefer to think and live simply by ourselves, as if we can handle all the challenges and predicaments we can encounter in our life.

Living by faith is actually meant for all of us, since our life is a life with God. And living by faith is completely practicable, though it obviously would require a certain discipline. Yes, it will require a lot of effort and sacrifice, a lot of self-denial. But let’s also remember that there is also God’s grace given to us that would enable us to enter into the spiritual and supernatural dimensions of our life.

To live by faith means, first of all, that we believe that God is always with us. And he is not with us in a passive way, but is actually actively intervening in our lives. We should not question this basic truth about God and us since as Creator, God not only creates us but also keeps us in existence. 

And given the way we are, with our intelligence and will, plus his grace since we are God’s image and likeness, we are meant to have a personal and intimate relation and connection with God all the time. We are supposed to have an abiding sense of his presence in us, always discerning his promptings.

We are not making this up. We are not fantasizing here, although it’s true that feeling his presence and discerning his promptings will certainly require a lot of effort. That’s because God is way above our nature to comprehend. It’s like having a case of “being so near yet so far.” God is present everywhere. We can always connect with him anytime, but he also remains as the most mysterious of all the mysteries.

That is why we need to go through a certain plan of life that would help us establish and maintain this abiding and intimate relation with God, always conversing with him, referring things to him, asking him questions as well as for help and enlightenment, etc.

We have to study the doctrine of our faith, now clearly and authoritatively taught by the Church, and then avail of certain ascetical and spiritual practices, like regular meditations, contemplation, recollection, retreats, etc.

The ideal to pursue is that of becoming a true contemplative even while being in the middle of the world. A contemplative person is always in conversation with God in all the events of his day and of his whole life!

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

LPA enters, to bring rain in Mindanao

By Arlie O. Calalo

March 13, 2023 

A low pressure area (LPA) has entered the Philippines but it has a slim chance of escalating into a tropical depression, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Monday.

However, the LPA, last spotted some 630 kilometers east-southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, will bring rain in the eastern side of Mindanao, forecaster Obet Badrina said.

"Based on Pagasa's forecast track the weather disturbance is unlikely to develop into a storm but we are still monitoring its movement," Badrina said.

The weather disturbance is affecting Caraga and Davao Region where overcast skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms may prevail in the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon or "amihan" is bringing cloudy skies with rains in Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Aurora and northern Quezon.

Visayas and the rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

The northeast monsoon is also affecting Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon where partly cloudy to cloudy skies with light rains may be experienced, Pagasa said.

What are some facts about the Philippines?

 

Ronna Lou

Philippine-Women.com Dating Coach and Matchmaking Consultant

Matchmaking Consultant2016–present

Studied Information Technology

Lives in Phoenix, AZ2017–present

The country is made up of 7,641 islands, making it the second-largest archipelago in the world.

The world's largest pearl was discovered in the Philippines, known as the "Pearl of Lao Tzu". It weighs 14 pounds and is valued at approximately $40 million.

The Banaue Rice Terraces in the Cordillera region of the Philippines are known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." They were carved by hand over 2,000 years ago and cover an area of over 4,000 square miles.

It is home to the world's smallest monkey, the Philippine Tarsier, which can fit in the palm of your hand.

It is the only country in Asia that is predominantly Roman Catholic due to its Spanish colonial past.

It is the world's leading producer of coconuts and pineapples and is also a major exporter of bananas and mangoes.

The world's largest indoor arena is the Philippine Arena. It has a seating capacity of up to 55,000 people.

It is the first country in Southeast Asia to gain independence from a colonial power, which is the United States in 1946.

Hope this helps!

[photo edited from Canva]

GMA presents the country’s first figure skating drama 'Hearts on Ice'

  

---

AT A GLANCE

• The country’s first-ever figure skating drama on primetime television is headlined by the fresh pairing of Sparkle actress Ashley Ortega as Ponggay and multi-talented actor Xian Lim as Enzo.
• Completing the star-studded cast are Amy Austria as Libay, the cold mother of Ponggay who doubts her dreams of becoming a figure skater; Tonton Gutierrez as Gerald, the rich and charming brother of Yvanna and Libay’s ex-lover; Rita Avila as Yvanna, the hostile mother of Monique and a rival of Libay; Lito Pimentel as Ruben, the supportive and loving father of Ponggay; Ina Feleo as Coach Wendy, one of the best figure skating coaches in town who sacrificed her career for love; Cheska Iñigo as Vivian, the controlling mother of Enzo and Yvanna’s ally in persecuting Ponggay.

---

Xian Lim and Ashley Ortega

Beginning March 13, GMA Network brings to light another groundbreaking show with “Hearts on Ice.”

The country’s first-ever figure skating drama on primetime television is headlined by the fresh pairing of Sparkle actress Ashley Ortega as Ponggay and multi-talented actor Xian Lim as Enzo.

Completing the star-studded cast are Amy Austria as Libay, the cold mother of Ponggay who doubts her dreams of becoming a figure skater; Tonton Gutierrez as Gerald, the rich and charming brother of Yvanna and Libay’s ex-lover; Rita Avila as Yvanna, the hostile mother of Monique and a rival of Libay; Lito Pimentel as Ruben, the supportive and loving father of Ponggay; Ina Feleo as Coach Wendy, one of the best figure skating coaches in town who sacrificed her career for love; Cheska Iñigo as Vivian, the controlling mother of Enzo and Yvanna’s ally in persecuting Ponggay.

Adding excitement and inspiration to the series are Miss Philippines Earth 2020 Roxie Smith as Monique, a competitive figure skater and Ponggay’s best-friend-turned-enemy; Kim Perez as Bogs, the whimsical friend of Enzo and secret admirer of Ponggay; Skye Chua as Sonja, an excellent figure skater who bullies Ponggay and Monique.  

“Hearts on Ice” follows the story of Ponggay who aspires to fulfill her mother’s broken dreams of becoming a figure skating champion. Despite Ponggay’s leg impairment, she works hard to be a figure skater to receive validation and love from her mother.

Later on, Ponggay discovers an online content creator whose music brings out the best of her capabilities. As she begins to pursue her passion with the right music, Ponggay meets the snobbishly attractive Enzo who appears to be her anonymous online idol and the one who will soon make her fall in love.

Will they be each other’s strength and inspiration to continue dreaming? Does love really conquer all challenges?

Meanwhile, Ponggay’s determination will also be tested as she faces some wicked figure skaters who see her as a big joke in the industry. Until one day, she meets Monique, a talented figure skater from abroad. They form an unlikely friendship without knowing that their mothers used to be bitter opponents in the figure skating world.

How will their camaraderie slowly turn to hate and competition? How far can Ponggay go to achieve her dreams and make her loved ones proud?

“Hearts on Ice” is made possible under the supervision of GMA SVP for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable; VP for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy; AVP for Drama Helen Rose Sese; Program Manager Edlyn Tallada; and Executive Producer Darling Pulido.

The creative team behind this inspirational drama is composed of Creative Director Aloy Adlawan; Content Development Consultant Ricky Lee; Creative Consultant Jojo Nones; Head Writer John Roque; Writers Liberty Trinidad-Villaroman, Marlon Miguel, and Brylle Tabora; and Brainstormer Louize Andrei Al-Sheri. 

Catch the world premiere of Hearts on Ice — under the helm of esteemed director Dominic C. Zapata — this March 13, weeknights at 8:50 p.m. on GMA and at 11:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and at 11 p.m. every Friday on GTV. 

44 candidates vie for Mr. & Ms. Posture Philippines 2023

BY ANNALYN S. JUSAY

  

---

AT A GLANCE

• Mr. and Ms. Posture Philippines is  organized by Mabuhay Chiropractic Clinics and takes pride in being the only pageant promoting the natural health lifestyle, with an essay round as one of the criteria for determining the winners.

• The pageant's creator, Dr. Michel Tetrault, noted the growing awareness of the people - particularly the young - to the benefits of chiropathy as a result of the holding of Mr. & Ms. Posture Philippines. Corollary to this, the University of Makati will soon offer a formal degree in chiropractics and the curriculum is being finalized by the Commission on Higher Education.

---

The 44 candidates for Mr. & Ms. Posture Philippines strike a pose (Photo by Fab Manila)

A bigger and better staging of Mr. and  Ms. Posture Philippines is expected this year with the presentation and sashing ceremony of the 44 candidates in Makati City recently. This is a big jump from the 24 contestants who joined the pageant during its first year.

Mr. and Ms. Posture Philippines is  organized by Mabuhay Chiropractic Clinics and takes pride in being the only pageant promoting the natural health lifestyle, with an essay round as one of the criteria for determining the winners.

The pageant's creator, Dr. Michel Tetrault, noted the growing awareness of the people - particularly the young -  to the benefits of chiropathy as a result of the holding of Mr. & Ms. Posture Philippines. Corollary to this, the University of Makati will soon offer a formal degree in chiropractics and the curriculum is being finalized by the Commission on Higher Education.

Darling of the Press winners Hanna Michaela Amistad and John Paul Gundayao

"This is your future. We're just here to facilitate this. And why do you think this (chiropathy) is necessary? Because everybody has a spine, you need to have your spine checked for the same reason you need to have your teeth checked, except that we already have plenty of dentists here in the Philippines and not many chiropractors," Dr. Tetrault pointed out.

Also present at the event, which was hosted by Mabuhay Health Officer and Miss Progress International 2017 Jedaver Opingo, were the 2022 winners: reigning Mr. Posture JP Riego who thanked the pageant for opening doors of opportunities for him and Ms. Posture, Ma. Yzabelle Reonal, who credited her winning for changing her life and even treating her mild scoliosis.

Chosen as the Darling of the Press for 2023 are John Paul Gundayao from Tarlac and Hanna Michaela Amistad of San Mateo, Rizal.

Certificates are awarded to each contestant by Mabuhay Chiropractic Clinics founder, Dr. Michel Tetrault (second from right) and Mr. & Ms. Posture PH 2022 winners

Aside from Gundayao and Amistad, here are the remaining candidates of the 2023 Mr. and Ms. Posture Philippines who come from all over the country. Details of the finals will be announced soon.

Male contestants:

Alfred Natividad (Davao de Oro), Asa Agayo (Baguio City), Cirilo Lagnason Jr. (General Santos City) , Edviro Fuentes Jr. (Tacloban City), Emerson Gomez (Tarlac City), Evangel Monreal Jr. (Oriental Mindoro), Gavin See (Filipino-Chinese Community), Jastine Cornejo (San Pedro, Laguna), Lee Zarate (Municipality of Mawab), Joeser Sinfuego (Indigenous People's Community) , Julius Paquingan (Iligan City), Mark Joseph Mangampo (Binangonan, Rizal), Markel Belo Gamboa (Pasig City), Rashid Mir (Las Piñas City), Raymart Manlangit (Victoria, Laguna), Richard Masangkay (Sta. Rosa, Laguna), Roman Solito (Cavite Province), Sandro Cordova (Caloocan City), Shawn Khrysler Sulit (Quezon City), Victor Cheng (Nuro Upi, Maguindanao) VR Relosa (Bulacan), Zandro Gomez (Mandaluyong City)

Female contestants:

Angelica Arvin Camu Evora (Oriental Mindoro), Ardian Vienne Casulla (Pasay City), Arvi Hazel Custodio (Pangasinan), Ayumi Nicole Cayabyab (Tarlac ), Claire Regodon (Alabat, Quezon), Dessa Lontayao (Bicol ), Elena Cocal (Midsayap, North Cotabato), Erlinda Maasab Starbright (Indigenous People's Community), Grayzel Catipay (Iligan City), Jhenice Balabis (BPO Community), Justin Mae Gaspi (Bocaue, Bulacan), Kaithlyn Landicho (San Mateo, Rizal), Katrina Claudia Jamin (Bicol Region), Lianne Elizabeth Duque (Biñan, Laguna), Nicole Grencio (Parañaque City), Nicole Parayno (Fil-Am Community, USA), Patricia Mae Araneta )Las Piñas City), Resalina Toledo (Pasay City), Rose Jean Sanglap (Maguindanao), Seannel Adderrie Cruz (Parañaque City).

Four teen beauty titlists to compete abroad

by Annalyn S. Jusay

The four teen titlists are all smiles after their crowning and sashing ceremony

Four young ladies are excited to represent the country in various competitions abroad in their capacity as winners of Miss Teen International Philippines pageant.

The four teen titlists were presented to the media at the Milky Way Restaurant in Makati City last March 4. Leading the “crowning and sashing ceremony” were  the sponsor representatives Ram Villaluna of Archipelago Tourism Consultancy and Marco Quintans of Pro-Fit Universal, assisted by Miss Teen International Philippines national director Charlotte Dianco.

Princess Jasmine Estanislao with Ram Villaluna of Archipelago Tourism Consultancy.

The four queens are the following:Meredith Breña Anota, a 15-year old Grade 9 student from Pasay City South High School who is also an SK official in Bicutan, Taguig City where she lives. She has been active in environmental activities and was therefore chosen to represent the Philippines in the Miss Teen Earth pageant in India. 

Maria Socorro Luz Aspe will be going to Puerto Rico for the Miss Teen Universe pageant. She is 16 years old and a grade 11 student from UST Angelicum College. She wants to be a doctor someday.

Ancient Trinity Tabora, 19, will be going to faraway Ecuador for the Miss Teen World competition. Even if she has not graduated from college yet, this young queen takes pride in owning several businesses. She’s also a Showtime Sexy Babe semi-finalist.

Princess Jasmine Estanislao, 18, will be sent to the Miss Teen Model contest in Peru in June. She is a tourism management student at the Far Eastern University and was chosen to be the Philippine representative to the pageant because of her modelling experience.

The four expressed gratitude to everyone who supported them. They said they are training hard and expressed excitement for the opportunity to represent the country in the international pageants.

ADVERTISEMENT

The short program presenting the teen queens was hosted by young talents Ace Vito and Miss Teen International Philippines 2019 3rd Runner Up Yza Uy.The rest of the event sponsors are the following: Alta Skin Whitening System,PageantryFanatics, Fab Manila PH and Spring Fairy Entertainment Productions.

Why poverty and austerity are important

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

THE reason can be found in that parable Christ told his disciples about the rich man, dressed in purple, and the poor man, Lazarus, who was lying at the rich man’s door, covered with sores and waiting to get even the scraps of food that fell from the rich man’s table. (cfr. Lk 16,19-31)

As the parable unfolded, both of them died. The poor man was carried by angels to the bosom of Abraham, while the rich man was buried in the netherworld. While at first sight, the parable might strike us to be unfair, since if God is a God of love and mercy, he should therefore be willing to save both of them.

But I suppose that without detracting from the universal love and mercy God has for everyone, the purpose of the parable is simply to teach us about the deadly danger of worldly wealth and the great redeeming value of Christian poverty and austerity.

Wealth in itself is not evil as long as we do not allow it to corrupt us. In fact, poverty and austerity can be bad if they are lived in bitterness and anger, if not hatred against God. 

For wealth to be a good thing, it has to be lived with the Christian spirit of poverty and austerity. That means that wealth is used to give glory to God and to serve everybody else. It is not meant to be used for self-indulgence.

Money and richness can become a problem when we are led to get attached to them such that we cannot anymore give ourselves fully to God. They can blind us with respect to our duty to God and to everybody else. We may give the appearance that we are giving a lot, but if it is not the whole of ourselves, then it is not the total self-giving which God deserves and expects from each one of us.

Let us always remember that God wants the whole of ourselves. He wants our entire heart, not a divided heart. He wants to be everything to us, the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega. He wants to be given priority over everything else, including our own life.

Especially these days when we are practically bombarded with so many tempting things, we should really be guarded, otherwise we end up completely materialistic and consumeristic, completely dead and numb to the spiritual and supernatural dimensions of our life as children of God.

We need to regularly check on what we have at the moment, what our real desires of our heart are, to see if indeed we are living the proper spirit of poverty and austerity that Christ himself lived. We know how easy it is for us to lapse into the opposite of poverty and austerity, like greed, envy, etc. With the way the world is developing these days, this practice of checking is very important.

Poverty and austerity allow us to love God and others properly. They clean our hearts of any trace of selfishness and self-indulgence. They make us simple, enabling us to develop many other virtues with ease. They rid us of unnecessary burdens in our life.

Poverty and austerity actually enrich us with a richness that is proper to us. It is the richness of being with God and in communion with everybody else. They enrich us with the love that channels the very love of God for us.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

Zahlreiche Unfälle auf glatten Straßen: Polizei in der Eifel und Aachen hat zu tun

Update vom 8. März, 14.03 Uhr: Schnee und Glätte machen Verkehrsteilnehmern zu schaffen. Die Straßen sind extrem glatt. Dutzende Unfälle meldet die Polizei aus Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Hessen und Schleswig-Holstein.

Mehr als hundert witterungsbedingte Verkehrsunfälle sind allein in Aachen (NRW) laut Polizei registriert worden (Stand: 12.30 Uhr). In den meisten Fällen blieb es bei Blechschäden, doch es gibt auch Verletzte. In der Eifel (Rheinland-Pfalz) ist der Winterdienst im Dauereinsatz. Sechs Schulkinder wurden bei einem Unfall leicht verletzt, berichtet die Polizei Trier. Ein Fahrer eines Kastenwagens hatte die Kontrolle über sein Fahrzeug verloren und ist frontal in den Kleinbus auf der Gegenfahrbahn gekracht. Beide Fahrer mussten zur Beobachtung in ein Krankenhaus gebracht werden. Bis zu 10 Zentimeter Neuschnee sind über 400 Meter gefallen. In Staulagen lokal bis zu 20 Zentimeter, teilt der DWD mit.

Wintereinbruch in Deutschland: Schnee bis in tiefe Lagen. Der DWD hat eine amtliche Unwetterwarnung herausgegeben. © IMAGO/Rene Traut

In Schleswig-Holstein verunglückten mehrere Autos und Lastwagen. Ein Milchtransporter rutschte Mittwochfrüh bei Dellstedt in einen Straßengraben und verlor einen Teil seiner Milchladung. Der Fahrer wurde leicht verletzt. Die Bergungsarbeiten werden bis in die Abendstunden andauern. 

In Hessen meldete die Polizei in der Nacht vom Mittwoch mehrere Unfälle auf schneeglatten Fahrbahnen, die meistens glimpflich ausgingen. Im Werra-Meißner-Kreis habe der einsetzende Schneefall, laut der Polizei Nordhessen, keine größeren Auswirkungen auf den Straßenverkehr und die Anzahl der Verkehrsunfälle gehabt, So kam eine 19-Jährige mit ihrem Wagen beim Abbiegen ins Rutschen und kollidierte mit einem Verkehrszeichen. Ein 52-Jähriger rutschte in der Nacht in einen Straßengraben, ebenso erging es einem weiteren Autofahrer am Mittwochmorgen.

Alarmstufe Rot – Unwetter in Deutschland: Der Wetterdienst warnt vor Schnee, Sturmböen und Glätte

Update vom 8. März, 11.40 Uhr: Alarmstufe Rot! Der Deutsche Wetterdienst (DWD) warnt vor Orkanböen (bis 110 km/h) in Lagen über 1000 Metern vor allem in Bayern und Baden-Württemberg. 

Im Schwarzwald können von bis zu 130 Kilometern pro Stunde erreichen, teilte der DWD im Warnlagebericht für Baden-Württemberg mit. Der Wind frischt demnach am Mittwoch in der Südhälfte des Landes auf. Diese Kreise sind aktuell (Stand: 8. März, 10.54 Uhr) von der Unwetterwarnung betroffen.

• Alarmstufe Rot in Baden-Württemberg:
• Kreis Lörrach
• Kreis Waldshut
• Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis
• Kreis Emmendingen
• Kreis Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald und Stadt Freiburg

• Alarmstufe Rot in Bayern:
• Kreis Oberallgäu
• Kreis Ostallgäu
• Kreis Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Kreis Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
• Kreis Miesbach
• Kreis und Stadt Rosenheim
• Kreis Traunstein
• Kreis Berchtesgadener Land 

Wintereinbruch in Deutschland: Besondere Wetterlage sorgt für kräftige Schnee und Schneeregenfälle

Erstmeldung vom 8. März 2023

Offenbach – In der Nacht auf Mittwoch (8. März) hat es im Westen Deutschlands schon kräftig geschneit. In Nordrhein-Westfalen und Hessen sorgte der Wintereinbruch für zahlreiche Unfälle. Lastwagen blieben auf den glatten Straßen hängen. Mehr als 10 Zentimeter Neuschnee verursachten auf der A44 in Hessisch Lichtenau (Werra-Meißner-Kreis) massive Probleme. Die Polizei sperrte Auf- und Abfahrt komplett ab. Im Westen ist am Mittwoch weiter mit Schneeregen und Schneefällen zu rechnen. Die breiten sich im Tagesverlauf weiter nach Osten aus. 

Starkregen und Schnee: Luftmassengrenze sorgt für extremes Wetter in Deutschland

Für den Märzwinter ist eine sogenannte Luftmassengrenze verantwortlich. Diese Luftmassengrenze liegt über der Mitte Deutschlands. „Auf ihrer Nordseite liegt Meeresluft polaren Ursprungs, in der sich das Wetter beruhigt. In den Süden wird dagegen immer mildere und feuchte Atlantikluft gelenkt und es kommt zu teils ergiebigen Niederschlägen“, erklärt der DWD.

Besonders in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz und Hessen schneit es kräftig bis in tiefe Lagen. Im Süden breitet sich dagegen milde Luft aus. Der DWD warnt vor Wind und Sturm. In tiefen Lagen ist mit starken bis stürmische Böen (7 bis 8 Bft) zu rechnen. Im Bergland Sturmböen (9 Bft). In exponierten Berglagen schwere Sturmböen bis Orkanböen 

Wetter in Deutschland: Luftmassengrenze trennt die kalte Luft im Norden von milderer Luft im Süden, wie die DWD-Grafik zeigt. ©  Screenshot Twitter/DWD

Aktuelles Wetter: Typischer Märzwinter in Deutschland?

Die Wetterlage ist für den März „total typisch“, so Diplom-Meteorologe Dominik Jung, Geschäftsführer beim Wetterdienst Q.met in einer Pressemitteilung mit. Der März sei wie der April ein Übergangsmonat. Es gehe vom Winter in den Sommer über. „Dabei liegen sich die alten kalten Winterluftmassen und die schon recht warmen sommerlichen Luftmassen aus dem Mittelmeerraum sehr oft direkt gegenüber. Das erleben wir in diesen Tagen bestens.“ (ml)