Storm Boris update - devastating European floods

Storm Boris brought extreme rainfall and devastating flooding to central and eastern Europe in mid-September 2024. Further heavy rain and impacts are forecast for Italy and the Adriatic and a wider reach of river flooding across Europe as the rainwaters progress downstream.

The high rainfall totals were forecast but the ensuing chaos was inescapable.  21 people have died across Poland, Hungary, Romania and Austria as a result of the flooding with damage ranging from destroyed buildings, dams and bridges to ruined roads or debris and sludge left behind as the waters recede. Thousands have been evacuated with others marooned in their houses having just to wait. Damage worth millions of Euros has been caused. There was also early heavy snowfall in the Alps as the event began when a significant cold front moved from the UK down from NW and met warm, humid air over SE Europe. High pressures have anchored great buckles in the jetstream and this pattern has kept the low Storm Boris stuck in place. A coming together of ingredients has resulted in one of the worst European flood events in decades.

Scene from a Vienna window, Austria. (Photo via Steph in Netweather Community thread)

The Czech Republic and Poland saw widespread flooding with severe impacts as thousands of households remained without power or potable water. Historic towns have been wreaked with bridges falling and homes destroyed. The entire Polish city of Nysa was ordered to evacuate to higher ground due to worries about an embankment failing which holds back a large lake. The city of Wroclaw has also been under intense threat this weekend. This location was the setting for the Film ‘High Water’ an incredible depiction of the decision-making in the 1997 devastating floods. Poland has declared a state of natural disaster. 

EU Emergency Response Coordination Centre ERCC Daily Map

In Slovakia, the Environment Minister stated that the Danube has peaked at nearly 10m but as the rain eased the level would slowly fall. There has been widespread damage. Romania was also high with more than 5,000 homes flooded and hundreds evacuated in the counties of Glati and Vaslui. The waters have receded here now but a state of emergency has been declared for these regions, until 16th October,

Austria also saw intense rainfall with the region of Lower Autrais seeing significant flooding and evacuations. There were dramatic photos and videos from Vienna but the city has many weirs, or flood canals and underground flood tunnels. They are part of the city's strategic flood management and helped, even if they were full to the brim with overtopping in some places. 

The rotating nature of the low pressure forced a northerly flow onto the Alps resulting in an incredible dump of snow in just over a day with roads buried and avalanche warnings.

Hungary remains on high alert as the Danube River levels remain perilously high. Tourists will be kept at bay with the lower quays closed as is Margaret Island and Budapest expects near-record river levels. Water traffic along the Danube remains cancelled with huge disruption to rail and road networks across central Europe.

Forecast accumulated rainfall totals from Tuesday 17th - Friday 20th Sept 

Following this disruption wind and rain warnings are appearing for northern Italy and around the Adriatic as the focus for unsettled weather slips further south. Thunderstorms and heavy showers are forecast around the central Mediterranean with torrential rain for Italy. There are also strong wind warnings for Croatia, Tuscany and Venice. There are red rain warnings, and amber/yellow wind warnings as “Tempesta Boris” looks set to cause further impacts. Even as the rain stops, the clear up will take months, the recovery years and sickness or disease can follow. 

Climate change is worsening floods, droughts and is reducing water quality, posing an increasing threat to our health" EEA

More discussion about Storm Boris in the Netweather community forum