Local Weather Updates — Weather-forecasting

Northwestern Germany shivers as rare cold snap breaks temperature norms

The Harz Mountains weren’t the coldest this time. A rare deep freeze rewrote the rules, leaving meteorologists—and residents—stunned by the extremes.

, and ASMedia

2026 January 12 . 1:50 PM

1 min read

The image shows an old topographic map of the area of Windsbach, Germany. It is a paper with text... — The image shows an old topographic map of the area of Windsbach, Germany. It is a paper with text and numbers, providing detailed information about the terrain.

Cold weekend in the northwest - up to -18.9 degrees - Northwestern Germany shivers as rare cold snap breaks temperature norms

Northwestern Germany experienced a harsh cold spell over the weekend, with temperatures dropping to near-record lows. While the Harz Mountains usually see extreme cold, this time the deepest freeze occurred elsewhere. The German Weather Service (DWD) recorded some of the lowest temperatures in the region overnight from Saturday to Sunday. In Wittingen-Vorhop, part of the Gifhorn district, the temperature plummeted to –18.9°C, even colder than in the Harz range. In Braunlage, within the Harz Mountains, the temperature reached –13.2°C, while Bremen experienced a sharp drop to –13.5°C. Despite expectations, the Harz region did not record the lowest temperatures this time. The weekend's freeze saw Wittingen-Vorhop register the most extreme cold in northwestern Germany, with temperatures nearly hitting –20°C, marking near-record conditions across the area. This unusual distribution of low temperatures was a rare shift from typical winter patterns.