Overview
- Active DWD alerts highlight widespread glatteis in North Rhine‑Westphalia through year’s end, with the highest risk in the night to Tuesday, December 30, and on New Year’s Eve.
- A polar air mass and an associated low are forecast to spread rain, sleet and snow south across Germany around December 31 to January 1, with higher elevations favored for snow.
- Mountain regions including the Mittelgebirge, the Alps and the Erzgebirge could see significant accumulations, locally up to about 20 centimeters.
- Temperatures are set to drop well below freezing in many areas, reaching about −3 to −7 C in NRW with valley lows near −10 C and southern regions below −5 C.
- Meteorologists warn of icy roads from freezing drizzle, snow grains and overfreezing wetness, with gusty winds likely in the uplands and recent NRW accidents underscoring the hazard.