1DLR Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Oberpfaffenhofen - Germany
2DWD Meteorological Observatory, Hohenpeissenberg - Germany
3DWD German Weather Service, Munich - Germany
In 2001 two notable severe storm systems caused very large damage in the Alpine foreland region around Munich in southern Germany: an off-season storm on 23 March, which caused one F1 microburst and an F2 downburst (or tornado?), and two supercell storms on 3 August, both accompanied by large hail and high winds. The southern of the two cells produced an F1 to F2 downburst (with few eye witnesses speaking of a dark "funnel" also), the nothern cell caused its tremendous damage mainly by hail. Total forest and property damage on that day amounted up to 250 million EUR, with 50 million EUR hail damage to cars alone.
Both the March and August storms were observed by the German weather service, DWD, Doppler radar at Hohenpeissenberg. The polarimetric Doppler radar at DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen was damaged by the 23 March storm and shows only little data for that case, as the storm propagated right above the radar site. On the other hand DLR did provide aerial photography of the damage a few days after the storm. Similarly, the southern damage swath on 3 August 2001 was also traced by aircraft and showed similar damage as the 23 March storm, implying F1 to F2 intensity.
Surface observations cover hail swath data and an eye witness report, as well as photographic documentation of 23 March forest damage. Forest authorities provided more detailed information on regions with damaged trees.