Wide School Closures Expand as Storm Elli Paralyzes Germany and Sweden

Widespread school closures have expanded across Germany as Storm Elli brings freezing rain and snow following the devastating impact of Storms Johannes and Anna in Northern Europe. Minister-President Olaf Lies urged caution in Lower Saxony while Magnus Martinsson of the Swedish Forest Agency warned of billions in economic losses due to fallen timber. The weather crisis has caused one fatality in Baden-Württemberg and paralyzed rail services in Ångermanland with sixty centimeters of snow.Schools in Hamburg, Bremen, and Lower Saxony remain closed as freezing rain affects student transportation, while Berlin and Thuringia offer distance learning options.Authorities issued storm surge warnings for the Baltic coast and reported supply shortages for de-icing materials as the extreme conditions continue to sweep across the continent.