Today's weather for Cologne, Germany22nd Nov 2009 04:00

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Weather Overview for Cologne

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, Cologne’s 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.

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