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WEATHER

More seasonal confusion over spring’s no-show

German hopes of the arrival of warmer, more seasonally appropriate weather have been dashed as meteorologists warn that a new low-pressure front over the British Isles will account for more unsettled conditions.

Published: 16 March 2013 13:49 CET
More seasonal confusion over spring’s no-show
Photo:DPA

The German Meteorological Service is predicting frost and snow until at least the middle of next week. The news comes just days before the so-called “spring equinox,” when the length of night and day is almost the same.

Western Germany is set to be particularly badly affected by the low pressure front, with considerable snowfall forecast. Night-time temperatures could drop to as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius in many places.

The Rhineland will be the only area to avoid overnight temperatures below freezing. It will initially remain relatively mild in areas around the Alpine foothills too but temperatures there are set to drop again on Monday.

Click here for The Local’s weather forecast

Meteorologist Dominik Jung of the weather service wetter.net said that “numerous” weather records had been broken on Wednesday night as temperatures sank to minus 17.6 degrees Celsius in Tegkwitz in the central state of Thuringia and minus 19.2 was recorded in Bautzen in eastern Saxony.

DAPD/DPA/kkf

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WEATHER

Winter weather returns to Germany after spring heat spell

Temperatures in Germany almost hit 30C in the last few weeks. But winter-like weather is well and truly back - and ski slopes are even re-opening in some areas.

Published: 19 April 2024 12:42 CEST
Winter weather returns to Germany after spring heat spell

Many people in Germany will have already packed away their winter clothes as spring has seen high temperatures and lots of sun.

But a cosy hoody and jacket will be needed again.

According to the German Weather Service (DWD), a blast of polar air has been moving in bringing ice, rain and sleet that is turning to snow, particularly at higher altitudes. 

Those who want to take advantage of the winter weather can even get back on the slopes. Many ski resorts had to close early for the season – but a few are reopening. 

On Friday, the ski lift at Kandel in the Emmendingen district (Baden-Württemberg) opens for floodlit skiing from 6pm. to 10pm. If the snow remains, the lifts will also operate at the weekend from 9am to 5pm.

Meanwhile, the lift at Seebuck (Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district) is operating on Saturday from 1pm to 5pm.

‘Aprilschmuddelwetter’

Lower-lying spots have also seen hailstones and snow showers. People in Munich dealt with a flurry of snow on Thursday as temperatures fell. High temperatures ranged from 4C in Oberallgäu to 12C in Lower Franconia.

In a post on X, the DWD described it as Aprilschmuddelwetter – Schmuddelwetter translates to “mucky” or “foul weather” and is often used in Germany in spring when there’s lots of rain.

The DWD said: “April foul weather on Friday: Widespread rain, snow in high mountain areas. In the afternoon, partly heavy sleet showers from the north-west, isolated thunderstorms. In addition, stormy winds in places. Temperatures will barely reach double figures.”

The DWD shared a photo with tulips poking out from the snow in Neuhaus am Rennweg in Thuringia and said it was symbolic of the current weather situation.

The low pressure system moving in from the North Sea was bringing more widespread rain, thunderstorms and hail on Friday. 

In Berlin temperatures hovered around 7C on Friday during the day with continuous rain. It was around 5C in Erfurt and 8C in Kiel. 

In western Germany, it was slightly less cool with temperatures reaching 10C – but torrential rain was forecast. 

Changeable weather with showers was forecast on Saturday, while some sunshine in the north and east of Germany was expected on Sunday. 

At night, there is a risk of frost, ice and freezing rain in the coming days in spots where the temperature drops.

This comes after a series of storms and strong winds lashed the country earlier this week.

READ ALSO: Storms and high winds hit Germany

Just a few days before that, Germany was bathed in sunshine as temperatures climbed up to nearly 30C.

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