Caution is urged What the cold spell could mean for Bonn
Bonn · Minus ten degrees are expected in Bonn beginning Sunday. It means there could be problems for local public transportation. Water and heating pipes in public and private buildings will also be challenged. For homeless persons, it’s about survival.
The cold wave will hit the Rhineland on Sunday and Monday, with temperatures not making it above freezing point even during the day. At night, temperatures down to minus ten degrees are expected. It should remain frosty cold until at least Thursday.
With the sinking temperatures, the struggle for survival increases for the homeless. That’s why the city is asking its citizens for help. A hotline has been set up by the police and city administration for Bonn residents to call in if they know of a homeless person in need: (0228) 77 33 33. Thermal sleeping mats and sleeping bags are also sought for the homeless, more information on that is available at: (0228) 725 9126.
When it comes to local public transport, SWB spokesperson Veronika John says they are expecting “no increase in problems as long as the cold weather stays dry.” The trams are initially run to warm them up as a preventative measure. Overhead lines are only “really problematic” when ice sets in and they have to be deiced.
A spokeswoman from Deutsche Bahn (German Rail) said it could not exclude the possibility of delays in regional traffic in North Rhine-Westphalia "in individual cases". Especially the switch systems are susceptible to problems in the cold. Of about 72,000 switch points in the German rail network, around 48,000 are equipped with heating.
Consumers should also think about their own home installations. External lines are particularly at risk. In older buildings, water and heating pipes must be protected against freezing up at temperatures well below the freezing point. Basement windows should be closed and if necessary, corridors or stairwells should be heated.
In the Bonn Rheinaue Park, people are also urged to use caution. Around the lake and at the entrances to the park, the city has put up signs that point to the danger of walking onto ice on the lake. This warning also applies to other small bodies of water in the region. People out walking should protect themselves from frostbite with hats, scarfs and gloves.
More than 50 years ago, bitterly cold weather swept into the Rhein-Sieg district and Bonn. The coldest day in Bonn was January 27, 1942. At that time the thermometer fell to 23 degrees below zero. It was so cold that thick ice turned the Rhine into an icy road. Below are some pictures from the icy Rhine in the past decades. (Orig. text: Sebastian Meltz, Translation: ck)
