Review of the year: The weather in Germany in 2013 In terms of temperature, precipitation and sunshine, 2013 was average

Offenbach, 30 December 2013 – A review of the weather statistics of the Deutscher Wetter- dienst (DWD) shows that 2013 turned out to be relatively average. Whereas the temperature was slightly higher than the long-term average, precipitation and sunshine were slightly less than normal. This is what the initial analysis by the DWD of data from its around 2,000 weather stations shows. After a mild start, wintry weather prevailed all over Germany from mid-January 2013 and this continued, with occasional interruptions, until the start of April. During this time, the weather in March – particularly in the north and east – was exceptionally cold for the time of year. Mid-April saw a sharp rise in temperatures to early summer levels. May, in contrast, was cool and the last ten days of the month were very wet. In late May and early June, extremely heavy rain fell along the northern edge of the Alps and the Ore Mountains. Powerful waves of flood water flowed northwards and for more than two weeks the people along the Danube and Elbe fought the floods. Overall, summer was dry and sunny, with three notable heat waves, each of which ended with violent thunderstorms, often accompanied by hailstorms. Low pres- sure systems during the autumn months brought large quantities of rain, sometimes combined with a strong wind or even severe storms. The year ended with a very warm December.

Cold March and hot July

At 8.7 degrees Celsius (°C), the average temperature in 2013 was 0.5 degrees higher than the international reference values for 1961 to 1990. Compared to the period 1981 to 2010, which was warmer, the deviation was -0.2°C. Above average temperatures mainly prevailed in July, August, October and December, with July and December being particularly pronounced, where- as February and, in particular, March were too cold. The mercury climbed to its highest point on 27 July, when 38.6°C was recorded in Rheinfelden on the High Rhine. The lowest temperature was recorded in Oberstdorf, as was the case in 2011 and 2012. In the night to 10 February, the thermometer there registered -22.9°C.

Precipitation in 2013 close to normal

With around 781 litres per square metre (l/m2), precipitation in 2013 was just one per cent less than the average of 789 l/m2. This year, the mountain station with the highest precipitation was not the Zugspitze but instead the Feldberg in the Black Forest, with a total amount of around 2,130 l/m². At 2,320 l/m², even more rain and snow fell in Baiersbronn-Ruhestein (916 m) in the Northern Black Forest. The driest place was Geilenkirchen near Aachen, where only 475 l/m² of rain fell. With 88 cm on 20 February, Reit im Winkl saw the highest snow cover in a lowland location, whereas the Zugspitze measured 480 cm as late as on 3 June.

Slightly negative sunshine total

With around 1,480 hours, the sunshine in 2013 was around three per cent below the average of 1,528 hours. At around 1,950 hours, Arkona on Rügen saw the most sunshine, with Kahler As- ten in the Sauerland recording the least at about 1,200 hours.

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