Germany Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Cologne
Summary
Germany has endured one of its hottest summer periods since records began, driven by extraordinary early-summer heatwaves that pushed local temperatures above 41°C and caused thousands of heat-related excess deaths. The May to July period recorded an average temperature of 17.73°C, marking the 2nd warmest such three-month span on record at 2.8°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. On a global scale, the broader climate background features a moderate El Niño forecast to peak at Very Strong in Oct-Dec, with seasonal projections pointing toward warmer conditions persisting into autumn.
This month in numbers
In July 2026, Germany recorded an average temperature of 19.63°C, sitting 2.5°C above the 1961–1990 baseline to rank 8th warmest on record for the month. This followed an exceptionally hot June (+4.0°C anomaly), pushing the May to July seasonal average to 17.73°C. That three-month figure sits 2.8°C above baseline, making it the 2nd warmest May to July period on record for the country, trailing only the record set in 2018 (18.2°C). Globally, land temperatures for July ranked 3rd warmest on record at 15.8°C (+1.6°C anomaly), while the global May to July window ranked 2nd warmest on record.
What changed
The recent thermal surge places Germany 19th out of 232 regions globally for 3-month temperature anomalies. Europe as a whole experienced severe heat, with 6 of the top 10 warmest 3-month anomalies worldwide concentrated among European nations. Germany's July anomaly was 0.29°C higher than the European continental average of +2.25°C. This extreme summer fits into a sustained long-term warming trend of +1.85°C above baseline for the country, where 2024 remains the warmest calendar year on record at 10.95°C and 2025 stands 9th warmest at 10.07°C.
What’s driving change?
The intense summer conditions were anchored by that trapped high-pressure systems over Central Europe, allowing heat to accumulate over dry soils. Because , continental landmasses like Germany experience magnified temperature surges during atmospheric blockings. On a planetary scale, a moderate El Niño (+0.98°C RONI) is currently active and can be tracked at ENSO. While El Niño shifts global climate patterns, its direct historical teleconnections to Northern Europe remain historically weak and inconsistent, meaning local atmospheric circulation patterns played the primary role in driving the extreme summer warmth.
Looking ahead
Seasonal climate models suggest that above-average temperatures are likely to persist across Central Europe through late summer and into autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Germany
Köppen Cfb · TemperateGermany has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 18.9°C, while January is the coldest at 1.8°C. Annual precipitation averages around 748mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Germany
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Germany
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Germany
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Germany
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Germany
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Dfb · ContinentalHow spring and autumn have shifted in Germany. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (8.3°C, from 1940–1969); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 18.8°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.5°C). The warmest month has shifted from Jul to Aug.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Germany
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Germany changing?
Germany is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Germany?
Germany has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfb: Oceanic / temperate), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 18.9°C, while January is the coldest at 1.8°C. Annual precipitation averages around 748mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Germany come from?
Climate data for Germany comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Germany climate data cover?
The Germany climate profile covers Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and surrounding areas. The Energiewende benchmark for industrial decarbonisation
How often is the Germany climate update refreshed?
The Germany climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Germany climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Germany climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.