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WEATHER

Too much snow for Ski Jumping

Heavy snows have caused one of the highpoints of the German sports calendar - the World Cup Ski Jumping - to be temporarily postponed, as deep snow also settled on the capital, Berlin, for the first time this winter.

Too much snow for Ski Jumping
No action at the ski jump Photo: DPA

Despite being a snow-based event, organisers of the ski jump in Obserstdorf, the International Ski Federation, took the decision to postpone Sunday night's event until Monday, due to "falling snow and strong winds".

The ski jumping will now take place at 530pm Monday, the federation announced on Twitter. Obersdorf is in the Bavarian Alps, southern Germany.

Meanwhile, residents of the capital may have missed out – just – on a white Christmas, but woke on Monday to find several centimetres of snow had settled overnight, in a snowfront that was working its way south through the country during Monday.

Some five centimetres fell on the capital and surrounding regions, according to the weather service.

The blanket of white snow – the first major snow of the winter – caused some to take to Twitter to mock the ongoing Pegida protests (Europeans Against the Islamization of the West), and their anti-foreigner, anti-immigrant stance.

Under the hashtag #schneegida, one joked "You got out in the streets and don't know if you're still in Germany", while another said: "I have nothing against snow – so long as it conforms to our climate turns into rain."

Biberach in southern Germany recorded the lowest overnight temperature, according to the German weather service, with temperatures plunging to minus 24.

Parts of the Alps saw up to 40 centimetres of snow, but northern Germany should see temperatures rise to around 4 degrees on Monday and Tuesday, with rain washing away the snow, while eastern and southern Germany remain freezing and prone to snow.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, the weather was responsible for several car accidents, including one road-clearing vehicle that rolled over. One woman was killed in an accident near Dortmund. 

New Year's Eve, according to the weather service, will be a mixed picture. Largely cloudy in the north, with 6 degrees on the coast and 2 degrees in Berlin, with possible rain and some cloud to mar the fireworks, although sunny and minus 8 in the Bavarian Alps.

New Year's Day will see some bitterly cold temperatures, down to minus 10 in Munich and minus 15 in Alpine regions, with Cologne at freezing and Hamburg and the north between zero and four degrees.

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WEATHER

Spring to arrive in Germany with temperatures of up to 21C

The moment many people around Germany have been waiting for is almost here: as of Thursday, temperatures are expected to crack the 20C mark and stay warm through the start of spring.

Spring to arrive in Germany with temperatures of up to 21C

Whether it’s the pink cherry blossom trees which have started to bloom, lighter evenings or people walking around with ice cream cones, the signs of springs have already started to show around Germany in March.

Now the weather is also catching up: following rain storms on Wednesday, the mercury is expected to reach at least 20C in many parts of the Bundesrepublik on Thursday. 

READ ALSO: Seven signs that Spring has arrived in Germany

First there’s some damper news: On Wednesday, Germany – in particular the southwest – is expected to be hit by the storms. In the Black Forest, 30 to 40 litres per square metre will fall by midday, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).

In the Alps, light snowfall will set in above 1,000 to 1,200 metres, with fresh snowfall of around five centimetres expected. 

The rain will ease by the following morning, but it will remain cloudy.

Up to 21C on Thursday

On Thursday, after the morning the fog disappears, people can look forward to a sunny and dry day – especially in the south and western parts of Germany. 

Temperatures will rise to a pleasant 14 to 21C degrees, with the highest values on the Upper Rhine. 

In mountainous areas and by the sea, it will remain somewhat cooler at 10C to 14C. 

Friday will be characterised by changeable weather: there will be sunny spells as well as rain showers, which will spread from the west and may be heavy in places – including thunderstorms. 

Temperatures will be between 14C and 18C degrees, and in the Lausitz region in eastern Germany it could even reach a warm 20 degrees.

Warmer weeks

While this Sunday could still see some single digit temperatures in northern parts of Germany – such as 9C in Berlin and Hamburg – the coming week is set to experience continually warmer weather, remaining at 14C and higher. 

The first day of spring officially begins this year with the Spring Equinox on March 19th. The days will become even lighter in Germany after Daylight Savings Time, which this year takes place in the early hours of Easter Sunday, or March 31st.

READ ALSO: Everything that changes in Germany in March 2024

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