Weather locations in Germany

Germany has a temperate seasonal climate in which cool maritime air from the North Sea meets drier continental air from the east. This exposes the country to quick weather changes and gives it four clearly separated seasons.

Regional variation

Northern Germany along the North Sea coast is oceanic: moderate winters, mild summers, frequent cloud and rainfall spread through the year. The central uplands and the Rhine valley form a transition between maritime and continental conditions. Eastern and south-eastern Germany, including Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia, is more continental, with colder winters, warmer summers and stronger seasonal contrasts. The Alps and the Bavarian Foreland are cooler and wetter, with real snow cover through much of winter.

Temperatures

The coastal zone averages roughly 1 °C to 4 °C in January and 17 °C to 20 °C in July. Inland and eastern areas run colder in winter and warmer in summer; Berlin averages about 1 °C in January and 18 °C to 19 °C in July. Southern lowland and mountain sites such as Munich sit around -1 °C to 1 °C in January and 17 °C to 19 °C in July.

Rainfall and snow

Annual rainfall is moderate, generally 600 mm to 800 mm across the lowlands and 900 mm to 1,200 mm or more on the uplands, the Black Forest and the southern highlands. In winter, the east, the uplands and the Alps receive snow while lowland cities such as Berlin and Hamburg mostly receive rain.

Seasonal character

Spring and autumn are the most changeable seasons. Summer often brings warm days with thunderstorms, and the longest cold spells occur in the continental east, especially around January and February.