Germany's First Autumn Frost Arrives in the South as Temperatures Plunge

Germany's weather service, the DWD, is warning of a sharp autumn cold snap that will bring the season's first frost to the southern parts of the country on Thursday night. Where skies clear in the south, overnight temperatures are expected to drop below zero — a stark contrast with the 21-degree highs recorded just a day earlier. Across the country, the DWD expects Thursday night lows to run from around 10 degrees in the north down to 2 degrees in the south, with frost where southern skies clear. In the north and east, persistent cloud and patchy rain will keep conditions grey but milder.

Through the weekend, daytime highs across Germany are forecast at only 7 to 13 degrees, with fog holding temperatures near the lower end of that range. On Friday, Berlin and Leipzig are each expected to reach 12 degrees. The night into Sunday could bring further light frost in southern upland areas, with lows between 8 and 0 degrees.

Johannes Habermehl of weather portal Meteored warns that in clear, windless nights, ground-level temperatures could fall as low as minus 8 degrees — several degrees colder than the official DWD figures, which are measured two metres above the ground. He advises bringing frost-sensitive plants such as oleander indoors by Friday and switching from summer to winter tyres. Drivers should plan extra time in the mornings to scrape their windshields fully clear.

The drop feels especially abrupt because the past nine Octobers in Germany have all been warmer than the long-term 1961–1990 average of 9 degrees. Meteorologist Ronald Porschke of wetter.com forecasts weekend highs of only 6 to 13 degrees, with widespread ground frost overnight. The DWD's ten-day outlook shows quiet high-pressure weather with persistent fog, little rain, and night-time lows between 6 and 0 degrees through 6 November.