Cologne - Pillar at Aachen pond warns of hurricanes and lightning

Cologne - Hills are a particularly dangerous place for lightning strikes. This is one of the reasons why the Cologne company "Coptr" chose the hill between Aachener Weiher and Bachemer Straße, the so-called Aachener Berg, as the location for its thunderstorm warning system "Tube" in the Inner Green Belt.

The early warning device for thunderstorms at the Aachen pond. Photo: Thomas Banneyer

Trial operation began on Tuesday. The system is a six-metre high mast with a long octagonal housing that gives acoustic and optical warning signals when a storm threatens. The energy comes from a solar panel mounted above it. Tube" is connected to the German Weather Service (DWD) and the lightning warning system from Siemens, among others.