Wind, cold, snow herald start of winter

Brace yourself for a winter onslaught this week, as waves of wind, cold and even snow roll across the country, the German weather service DWD said on Monday.

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Rain is expected to set in at the start of the week, spreading out from the north-west. Those south and east of the Danube are likely to remain dry until nightfall on Monday - when intermittent rain could hit large parts of the country.

Exposed areas of the Alps should be prepared for a battering - stormy gusts could be on their way. Other areas will see gentle to moderate winds.

With lowest temperatures of between 7 and 12 degrees, the frost is likely to hold off for the time being, except in Alpine regions where temperatures look likely to drop to around freezing point.

Heavy clouds will roll out across the country on Tuesday, bringing splashes of rain with them. They don´t look like going anywhere in a hurry, and Tuesday night will remain overcast. Sporadic rain is forecast for a swathe of the country from the south-west to Brandenburg, while the north and south-east could see occasional brighter patches.

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Wednesday is set to be equally cloudy. Intermittent rain is possible, especially in the centre and south-east. A moderate wind will cool temperatures to a comparatively chilly 4 to 8 degrees.

"In the second-half of the week, the weather will be turned on its head, as winter unmistakably arrives," said DWD meteorologist Christian Herold in a statement.

The snow will have arrived by Thursday morning, hitting above all in Germany´s central hilly regions. The south-east is likely to see rain, the north-west to remain dry.

Some areas could be buried under up to ten centimetres of snow by the end of the day, reaching down to the valleys in many areas. Elsewhere will remain overcast, with showers in the north-west. Highest temperatures of 0 to 6 degrees will also make the day feel decidedly colder.

The snowfall is due to ease by Thursday night, though with lowest temperatures dropping to -3, motorists should be on their guard against icy conditions.

The Local/pmw