All-time October low recorded in Bavaria

DDP/The Local (Germany)
Thursday, Oct 22nd, 2009

Meteorologists on Tuesday morning recorded the lowest ever October temperature in Germany, as the mercury dipped to a chilly -24.3 degrees Celsius in Bavaria’s Berchtesgaden national park.

The bitter cold was measured at the Funtensee, a notoriously frosty lake high in the Bavarian Alps. Jörg Kachelmann from the Meteomedia weather service said conditions overnight were ideal “with brisk cold air flowing in over freshly fallen powder snow.”

Kachelmann said the alpine sinkhole could register temperatures as low as -55 degrees in the middle of winter by similar conditions, making it in his estimation the coldest spot in Germany. But he said the Funtensee was likely to be a balmy 35 degrees warmer by Wednesday, as the Alpine Föhn wind is expected to push temperatures up to 10 Celsius.

The rest of the country will also warm up slightly midweek, according to the DWD German Weather Service. The Föhn will heat up the southern edge of Germany to 17 degrees, while the eastern half will be lucky to see seven degrees. Most regions will be cloudy, but are likely to stay dry. Overnight lows will drop to six degrees in the northwest to zero in the southeast.

The northern and eastern Germany will remain dry on Thursday, but will showers threaten the southwest. Highs will range between nine and 17 degrees.