Germany is concluding the meteorological winter amidst extreme weather contrasts. While temperatures in the southwestern part of the country reached an unprecedented 23 degrees Celsius, northern regions such as Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern recorded the snowiest winter since 2012. The German Meteorological Service's (DWD) assessment points to an unusually mild season, also exceptionally dry and sunny in many states, which drastically accelerated the arrival of spring-like conditions.

Heat Records in the South

In southwestern Germany, temperatures rose to 23 degrees Celsius, likely setting a new record for February.

Snow Anomalies in the North

Berlin and northern states recorded the heaviest snowfall since 2012 and 2010, contrasting with the warm south.

Dry and Sunny Overall Balance

Despite local precipitation, the winter nationwide was drier and sunnier than climatic norms predict.

End of Ski Season

High temperatures forced the closure of the last remaining ski runs in Hesse and other upland regions.

This year's February in Germany will go down in meteorological annals as a month of extremes. The German Meteorological Service (DWD) in its latest report indicates that the 2025/2026 winter was significantly milder, drier, and sunnier than the long-term average. The most striking phenomenon is the rapid temperature rise in the final days of February. In southwestern Germany, thermometers showed 23 degrees Celsius, almost certainly setting a new record for this period. Similar spring-like phenomena were recorded in Thuringia, where temperatures exceeded 20 degrees. These high values forced ski resort operators, including those in Hesse, to end the season and prepare the slopes for summer activities. Despite the overall warming trend, northern and eastern regions of the country experienced unprecedented snowfall in recent months, not seen in over a decade. Berlin recorded its snowiest winter in 14 years, and in states like Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schleswig-Holstein, and Hamburg, it was the whitest season since 2012. This correlation of heavy snowfall with subsequent, rapid temperature spikes is being described by meteorologists as a February of extremes. In Lower Saxony and Bremen, the transition from frosty nights to spring afternoons occurred within just a few days, posing challenges for plant vegetation. Meteorological measurements in Germany have been conducted systematically since 1881, allowing for precise tracking of climatic changes. Data from the last thirty years shows a clear upward trend in average winter temperatures, leading to more frequent occurrences of so-called 'winters without winter' in Central Europe.Interesting discrepancies are also visible in humidity data. While record rainfall was recorded in Saarland alongside a lack of sunshine, Thuringia and Saxony are grappling with precipitation deficits. Experts emphasize that despite local snowfalls, the overall water balance in many states is too low, which may herald an early soil drought. This variability is evident even within a single state, as in the case of Bavaria, where a rainy February concluded with an exceptionally sunny finale. This situation fits into the long-observed mechanism of seasonal destabilization, where the boundaries between winter and spring are becoming increasingly blurred. „Der Winter war milder, trockener und sonniger als im Mittel.” (The winter was milder, drier, and sunnier than average.) — German Meteorological Service