If summer 2025 in Germany were a perfume, it’s key notes would be cloud, fine rain and cool temperatures, with just a hint of storm.
Before looking at whether the experts have scented something better in the future – and if we can all expect to find ourself bathing in glorious sunshine over the next few weeks – there is an important point to make first.
We’ve been robbed
Not only because winters in Germany tend to be grey and endlessly long and we need all the sunshine we can get, but because we were misled!
Numerous meteorologists and weather models predicted that a stable high-pressure system might develop over Europe, bringing consistent hot and dry weather this summer.
High-pressure systems operate like big bubbles of warm, dry air, blocking out rain and unsettled weather, and allowing sunshine to dominate and temperatures to rise. It’s the kind of pattern responsible for classic summer weather with lots of sun and temperatures above 30C.
That’s what we were led to expect. But in actuality Germany has seen an endless series of low-pressure systems - which lead to cloud formation and rain - while the southern parts of Europe are being cooked.
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Repeated low-pressure zones have brought rain, clouds, and cooler temperatures to Germany since early July. This weather pattern is often called a "west weather pattern" because the systems come in from the Atlantic Ocean to the west, pushing unstable, wet weather and cooler air across Central Europe.
Adding insult to injury, the experts appear reluctant to acknowledge how bad the weather has been.
Prominent meteorologist Andreas Machalica, in comments made to SWR, actually described this year’s summer as “relatively average” in terms of sunshine and temperature, dominated by a "typical West weather pattern" common for Central Europe.
Is the cool weather here to stay?
Despite the distinctly mixed start to the summer, there is still hope for August and September, according to the experts.
Meteorologist Dominik Jung thinks the weather will become noticeably warmer during the first week of August. In the second week, he says we can expect “high summer temperatures” above 30C in some regions.
Andreas Machalica thinks “there’s still a really good chance August will see some sunny days.”
Until August 10th, the German Weather Service (DWD) is forecasting cooler temperatures and rain showers for much of Germany. Although warmer weather is anticipated to gradually arrive in around mid-August, with less rain and temperatures potentially rising to around 30C in the second half of the month.
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It's worth noting, however, that to predict the weather experts essentially make an educated guess based on the best real-time data that they have. Therefore weather predictions become increasingly unreliable the further in the future they look.
Given the previously unforeseen weeks of grey skies and rain that Germany has seen, the tone of these weather forecasts read almost hopeful rather than confident.
As much as I’d like to, I won’t be putting my cagoule away just yet.
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