Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
WINTER IS COMING

WEATHER

Low-lying regions see first snow of the year

The German Weather Service (DWD) reported snow in some low-lying areas of the country on Tuesday night, marking the low point of this week's cold snap.

Published: 14 October 2015 08:53 CEST
Low-lying regions see first snow of the year
Snow in the Thuringian town of Ilmenau early on Wednesday morning. Photo: DPA

Snow fell in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, the Thuringian forest and the western Erz (Ore) mountains in Saxony, DWD meteorologist Christian Herold told Berlin newspaper BZ on Wednesday.

“It doesn't happen every year that we get some snowfall even in flatter areas,” Herold said.

He added that while it wasn't unusual for snow to fall in October, the low temperatures in the first half of the month this year are very rare.

In Leipzig thermometers are expected to reach a high of just four degrees Centigrade on Wednesday, while Frankfurt will reach a top temperature just six degrees.

On the north coast and at the Bodensee temperatures will only just reach double figures.

One of the lowest points to see snowfall was Osterfeld in Saxony-Anhalt, only 246 metres above sea level.

The weather situation at 8am on Wednesday October 14th. Image: DWD

Other DWD experts said that it could snow in even lower-lying towns, including Leipzig and Dresden, during the morning.

Further snow is expected in mountainous areas on Wednesday, although it will mostly fall above 1,000 metres.

Temperatures are expected to climb back up the scale after what meteorologist Manuel Voigt called “a short winter interval, more of a one-off”.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

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, with snow in some places.

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. 

But lower-lying spots have also seen hailstones and snow showers. People in Munich dealt with 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.”

On Thursday, 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.

SHOW COMMENTS