Climate in Frankfurt (Germany)

In Frankfurt am Main, the largest city of the state of Hesse, and in the neighbouring cities of Wiesbaden and Mainz, the climate is slightly continental, with cold (but not freezing) winters and pleasantly warm summers. The city is located in southwestern Germany, at 50 degrees north latitude, in the upper Rhine valley, an area that is the warmest in Germany from May to September.

Precipitation is not abundant, about 600 millimeters (23.5 inches) per year, but it is quite common and well distributed throughout the year. However, the driest period goes from February to April. Rainfall often occurs in the form of short showers or drizzle, whereas during the summer, thunderstorms can break out in the afternoon.



Winter, from December to February, is cold: daytime temperatures are on average a few degrees above freezing (0 °C or 32 °F), while at night, they are around freezing.
However, different weather situations can occur.
When the westerlies blow, the temperature can be quite mild, and can reach 10/12 °C (50/54 °F), but there can be wind and rain.
Under the influence of a high pressure system, the weather is cold, the sky is gray, and fog can form.
On the other hand, when the city is reached by cold air masses from Russia, the temperature drops below freezing, for longer or shorter periods, even during the day. The temperature rarely drops below -15 °C (5 °F), however, it can do it in very cold periods, which used to be more frequent in the past. The coldest record is -27 °C (-16.6 °F) and was set in January 1940.
Snowfalls in Frankfurt are quite frequent, though usually not abundant, and occur in the form of light snow. Sometimes, however, snow can accumulate on the ground, and last for many days, if it occurs during cold waves.

Spring, from March to May, is an unstable season.
On the one hand, northwesterly currents can bring cold periods, so much so that in March, and sometimes until mid-April, it can still snow. In addition, some cold days, with highs around 10 °C (50 °F), can still occur in May, especially in the first half of the month.
On the other hand, southwesterly currents can bring very mild or quite warm periods, with highs above 20 °C (68 °F) in April and above 25 °C (77 °F) in May.

Summer, from June to August, is warm enough. Atlantic disturbances can affect this area even in this season, bringing cool and rainy days, but there may also be some hot and sunny days, with the temperature reaching 28/30 °C (82/86 °F), however, with some risk of afternoon thunderstorms.
More rarely, there may be very hot periods, usually of short duration, which are becoming more frequent due to global warming. The highest record is 40 °C (104 °F) and was set in July 2019. In August 2020, the maximum temperature fluctuated between 31 and 37 °C (88 and 99 °F) for seven consecutive days. In August 2022, the average maximum was 29.9 °C (85.8 °F).

Autumn, from September to November, is initially pleasant in September, and sometimes also in early October (although there is no shortage of rainfall), then it gradually becomes more cold, dull, wet and windy. The first night frosts usually occur in November, but sometimes also in October. During calm nights, fog may form.

Frankfurt does not get a lot of sun, especially from October to February, when the sun rarely shines. It goes a bit better from May to August, when the weather is variable, and between one disturbance and another, the sun can come out.

Best Time

The best time to visit Frankfurt runs from mid-May to mid-September, since it's the mildest of the year. July and August are the warmest months. However, it's better to bring a sweatshirt or sweater, a light jacket and an umbrella, for cool and rainy days.

Frankfurt - Climate data