Swimming shorts transform into rain pants.
It's still summer's reign in the first week of September, with sweltering heat refusing to back off. But the second week brings a drastic shift, as temperatures plummet significantly. Hikers in the Bavarian Alps better brace for snowfall.
September has been an unseasonably hot month, especially in the eastern parts of the country. Berlin saw six consecutive days of scorching heat, with temperatures hitting 30 degrees or more. Even new September temperature records were set in some eastern locations, such as Potsdam reaching 35 degrees. Comparatively, there were no heat waves in September in 2010, 2014, and 2017.
The hottest temperature recorded was in Doberlug-Kirchhain, Brandenburg, at 35.2 degrees. However, the all-time September record of 36.5 degrees, set in 1911 in Jena and in 1947 in Bühlerthal, Baden-Württemberg, was not breached.
But the transition into autumn is as dramatic as the summer's start. By Monday, the heat and summer vibe will be a thing of the past, and temperatures below 20 degrees will remain out of reach until the following weekend in the lowlands. Overnight temperatures will fall significantly from Thursday, reaching single-digit lows.
The transformation in the Alps will be even more striking. August saw record-breaking heat on the mountains in Austria, which has been keeping tabs for 174 years. September continued the trend of high temperatures (it's still around 10 degrees on Zugspitze today). But now, a dash into winter is imminent. Starting from tomorrow, temperatures will drop by 5 to 10 degrees in the Bavarian Alps, and the snowline will sink to around 1300 meters by Thursday, with even snowflakes falling in higher valley levels. Heavy snowfall is expected in the Alps from Thursday, so hikers should be fully prepared.
Monday: Drop in temperature of more than 10 degrees in the east
Rain and thunderstorms will drench the northeast part of the country, while the rest of the country can expect volatile weather, with shifting rain showers and brief thunderstorms mixed with sunny intervals. Temperatures will drop to 16 to 23 degrees, a cool 10 to 13 degrees lower than the east of the country on Sunday evening.
Tuesday: Autumnal rain showers
A blend of sun and clouds will punctuate occasional rain showers, with more rain heading towards the Erzgebirge and the Alps in the afternoon. However, new rain clouds will creep towards the North Sea in the evening. Highest temperatures will hover between 17 to 22 degrees.
Wednesday: Rain band sweeps through
A narrow band of rain will travel across the country from northwest to southeast during the day. The southeastern part of Bavaria will remain dry for a long time, and the northwest will see an improvement in weather in the afternoon. Windy conditions will keep temperatures between 17 to 22 degrees.
Thursday and Friday: Growing chill, winter in higher Alpine altitudes
While most will continue to experience an autumn mix of sun and rain showers, temperatures will lower to 11 to 17 degrees. The Alps to the Ore Mountains will experience regular rainfall, and persistent rain will continue in the Alps. The snowline will drop to around 1300 meters in the Alps, and snowflakes might mix into higher valley levels. Up to 70 cm of new snow is possible in areas above 2000 meters by Friday evening! In the Alpine foothills, temperatures will be capped at a maximum of 7 degrees in damp, chilly weather.
Weekend: Milder weather possibly on the horizon
The European weather model suggests a significant improvement in weather, with the sun making a more frequent appearance. However, temperatures will take their sweet time to rise and will only reach a paltry 20 degrees on Sunday. According to the American weather model, it will stay wet and unbearably cold, especially in the south and east. It's clear that summer's daydreams are not in the cards just yet.
Despite the ongoing hot weather in some parts of Germany, hikers in the Alpine regions should be prepared for a drastic change. Starting from tomorrow, temperatures in the Bavarian Alps will drop by 5 to 10 degrees, and the snowline will sink to around 1300 meters, with even snowflakes falling in higher valley levels.
The transition into winter in the Alpine regions is as dramatic as the summer's start, and hikers should be fully prepared for the incoming snowfall.
