Weather conditions: It’s getting colder There’s hope for a white Christmas in Bonn
Bonn · After this summer, there were many indications that the year 2022 would break the temperature record for Bonn and the region. Icy temperatures could now prevent that. The reason for this is an unusual weather situation - with effects also on Christmas.
A rare weather phenomenon is bringing cold to Germany: the high-pressure area over the Azores and the low-pressure area over Iceland (in short: Azores high and Iceland low) have swapped their namesake positions. This unusual change is causing a cold northerly or easterly wind in Germany, according to weather provider Wetteronline.
"The high in the north, in this case near Iceland, blocks the mild westerly winds in the process and pushes the low-pressure areas onto a very southerly track," explains Björn Goldhausen, meteorologist at Wetteronline. "This is a weather situation that has winter potential in Europe," adds Bonn weather expert Carsten Brandt.
This weather situation had already caused the first snowfalls in the region at the end of November and beginning of December. And that will remain the case for the time being: It could take weeks until the high-low constellation moves back to its old position.
Weather in Bonn and the region: sub-zero temperatures Friday night
Starting on Thursday, temperatures in Bonn and the surrounding area will drop once again, Brandt said. The temperature will be around three degrees in the centre of Bonn on Thursday morning. In addition, there will be showers during the course of the day. Sleet is also possible due to the cold air. Above an altitude of 300 metres, for example in the Siebengebirge, the snow could possibly remain.
It will get even colder at the weekend: For Friday morning, Brandt predicts temperatures only slightly above zero degrees in Bonn and the surrounding area. The thermometer will then read below zero on Saturday night. At -1 to -3 degrees in the surrounding area, drivers should be prepared for icy conditions.
The sub-zero temperatures will also reach Bonn's city centre from Sunday. The first snowfalls could then occur and last until the beginning of the week.
Will Bonn have a white Christmas?
The last white Christmas in Bonn was in 2010. Given the current weather conditions, snow is quite possible this year: "Everything is possible. The chance is greater than it has been for a long time," says Brandt. However, it is not yet possible to make a concrete prediction of a white Christmas at this point in time.
The weather developments are counterproductive for all those who want to save energy: It will remain cold. "There are also signs of a continuation of the borderline weather situation with a new load of snow in the coming week," writes Wetteronline.
After the record summer of 2022, the low temperatures could now bring the annual average even lower. According to Brandt, the average temperature in 2022 for the area around Bonn is still 13.7 degrees so far.
In 2021, an average of 10.6 degrees was measured in Bonn. Just three to four days with temperatures below -2 degrees could greatly change the annual average, as Brandt explains. Then 2022 would still have been a warm year for Bonn - but not one that breaks all records.
Original text: Franziska Klaes
Translation: Mareike Graepel
