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Cold Christmas Grips Germany as DWD Eyes Possible New Year Winter Outbreak

Two blocking highs are funneling dry easterlies and deep cold now, while forecasts hint that polar air could bring low‑level snow around the turn of the year.

Overview

  • Widespread frost persists with overnight lows generally between -1 and -9 °C and locally near -12 °C in the east, as most lowlands stay dry through the holidays.
  • Official warnings cover slippery roads and gusty winds, with strong to stormy gusts up to roughly 70 km/h in exposed uplands and at the coast.
  • Many areas see sunshine, but persistent high fog lingers in parts of Swabia and Upper Bavaria, where morning frost and glätte remain a concern.
  • Through Friday and into the weekend, the north turns cloudier with patchy drizzle and localized ice risk in the Mittelgebirge, while NRW faces nocturnal glätte under fog and subfreezing air.
  • Models and the DWD now flag a possible winter outbreak around New Year that could spread snow into low elevations, a scenario still uncertain; some runs show 5–20 cm in lowlands with higher totals in the mountains.