The long and arduous year of 2020 has finally dragged itself to its final month of December. However, before we can finally put this year behind us, we must first contend with some cold and wintry weather.
Wintry weather conditions are expected from the start of December in Germany, with forecasters now predicting freezing rain and snow to fall across the country from Tuesday. The precipitation will affect the north of the country first, particularly in the north-east and parts of Lower Saxony, although only 1 to 3 centimetres of snow is expected to fall in the northern territories.
The cold, icy weather will sweep over the rest of the country on Tuesday. Freezing rain and snow are expected to fall on southern Saxony-Anhalt, over the Thuringian forest and in Stuttgart, where people could see 5 to 10 centimetres of snow. In the areas surrounding the country's low mountain ranges, around 15 to 20 centimetres of snow can be expected.
The snow is expected to reach Munich later on Tuesday, and residents will suffer from extremely cold and snowy conditions that are expected to last throughout the week. Some forecasters are predicting up to 20 centimetres of snow in the Allgäu region, and up to 40 centimetres in the valleys.
More snow, particularly in the south, is expected throughout the week and there are signs that this weather could persist throughout the month, despite forecasters previously predicting a mild winter for Germany. While some recent weather models suggest the cold weather might recede by mid-December, hopes for a white Christmas are starting to rise once again.
Drivers should take considerable care in the icy conditions, as the freezing rain and snow will increase the likelihood of black ice forming, which can be a significant risk to those travelling during the winter period.