Average winter temperature in Germany 1960-2023

In 2022/2023, the average winter temperature in Germany was 2.9 degrees Celsius. While that winter was less warm than the one preceding it at 3.3 degrees, it was part of a growing list of warmer winters in the country. Figures had increased noticeably compared to the 1960s.

Warmer in the winter

Everyone has a different perception of what actually makes a cold or warm winter, but the fact is that winter temperatures are, indeed, changing in Germany, and its 16 federal states are feeling it. Also in 2022/2023, Bremen and Hamburg in the north recorded the highest average figures at around 4 degrees each. The least warm states that year, so to speak, were Thuringia, Saxony, and Bavaria. The German National Meteorological Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst or DWD), a federal office, monitors the weather in Germany.

Global warming

Rising temperatures are a global concern, with climate change making itself known. While these developments may be influenced by natural events, human industrial activity has been another significant contributor for centuries now. Greenhouse gas emissions play a leading part in global warming. This leads to warmer seasons year-round and summer heat waves, as greenhouse gas emissions cause solar heat to remain in the Earth’s atmosphere. In fact, as of 2022, Germany recorded 17.3 days with a temperature of at least 30 degrees Celcius, which was more than three times the increase compared to 2021.