Cologne lies in the west of Germany in the North Rhine-Westphalia region. It is the fourth-largest city in Germany in terms of inhabitants and is a vibrant and exciting city with a buzzing Arts culture- Cologne is home to more than 30 museums and hundreds of galleries. Cologne has an enjoyable and pleasant climate, especially in the summer months though keep in mind it is the summer that witnesses the most rainfall of the year. On the whole, Cologneâs conditions could be best summed up by saying it has cold winters and rainy, warm summers.
Summer
Most of the precipitation the city gets is during the summer months of June and
August. So if you want to visit in the summer and avoid the height of rainfall then
visit in July, although you will not be the only person who has had this grand
idea and as a result July is packed full of tourists and prices are hiked to
summer highs as well. During July and August the daytime maximum average temperature hovers
around 24°C (75°F), and summers as a whole are generally fairly mild and stay
warm but not hot. Cologne and its surrounding region is part of the North-West
German lowlands, and despite its distance from the ocean is still influenced by
the Atlantic effects, and the North Sea, these combine to have a pretty noticeable
affect on the weather.
Winter
In winter, Cologne is one of the warmest cities
in Germany;
due partly to its low lying position and Gulf Stream
affects. Snow will only very rarely stay on the ground longer than a few days.
November is where the mercury begins to drop and the skies start to change
colour, average
minimum falls to a chilly 2 degrees. In December the minimum falls to a
brisk 0 degrees, before reaching absolute minimums in January when the average
daily minimum is -1 degrees. Also keep in mind that during this time there are
only 6-8 hours of daylight and in December, the sun sets at around 3:30pm.
Spring and Autumn
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to October) are great times to
visit Cologne
if you want to avoid the tourist peak season. May and September are the
most pleasant months, both for weather and ambience- outdoor cafes and beer
gardens are open and busy, but the numbers have weaned slightly and
accommodation is easier to find.