Overview
- Official forecasts call for widespread highs of 10–16°C early this week with local peaks around 17–18°C in the southwest, with some meteorologists flagging a small chance of near‑20°C along the Upper Rhine.
- The German weather service issued regional alerts for heavy rain and gusty winds, including 30–40 liters per square meter in parts of the Allgäu and stormy conditions on mountain ridges and alpine peaks.
- Existing snow is thawing rapidly even at higher elevations, with meltwater adding to runoff and the odds of a broadly white Christmas slipping for many regions.
- The mild, unsettled pattern is expected to persist through mid‑December with periods of rain, low clouds and fog, while model confidence drops for Christmas week and a colder turn remains possible but uncertain.
- Meteorologists cite a vigorous jet stream over the North Atlantic, unusually warm nearby sea surfaces and a stable polar vortex that is keeping Arctic air locked to the far north.