Cologne, Germany Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Cologne
Cologne records 158 wet days and 7.7 hours of daily sunshine in an average year. Temperatures follow an oceanic pattern, running 43°F (6°C) in January up to 76°F (25°C) in August.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: August - highs near 76°F (25°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 43°F (6°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 102°F (39°C) high · 15°F (-10°C) low
- Wettest month: January (16 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (11.3 h sun/day)
- Climate type: oceanic
- Annual swing: 16°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 8°C
- Snow: about 6 days a year
- Average humidity: 76%
Temperatures through the year
Snow falls on roughly 6 days a year, mostly December through March. January bottoms out at 43°F (6°C) in daylight, 34°F (1°C) after dark. August is the warm end of the year, averaging 76°F (25°C) by day and 60°F (16°C) overnight. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 102°F (39°C) and bottoms at 15°F (-10°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records. January is the wettest month at 3.5 inches (88 mm) over 16 days; April is the driest.
Rain, sun and snow
June is the brightest month at 11.3 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 7.7 - duller than about 89% of the cities we track.
How Cologne compares
- 28% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than almost every other city we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43° | 34° | 16 | 3.5 in | 3.7 h/day | 8.4 h | 52% | 85% |
| February | 47° | 35° | 13 | 2.8 in | 5.5 h/day | 9.9 h | 46% | 79% |
| March | 52° | 37° | 14 | 3.1 in | 7.2 h/day | 11.7 h | 45% | 76% |
| April | 58° | 41° | 12 | 2.2 in | 9.5 h/day | 13.8 h | 38% | 71% |
| May | 66° | 49° | 12 | 2.6 in | 11.0 h/day | 15.5 h | 39% | 71% |
| June | 74° | 57° | 12 | 3.2 in | 11.3 h/day | 16.5 h | 39% | 69% |
| July | 76° | 59° | 12 | 3.5 in | 11.3 h/day | 16.1 h | 40% | 68% |
| August | 76° | 60° | 12 | 2.8 in | 10.6 h/day | 14.5 h | 39% | 70% |
| September | 69° | 54° | 10 | 3.0 in | 9.2 h/day | 12.5 h | 34% | 74% |
| October | 60° | 48° | 13 | 2.7 in | 5.9 h/day | 10.6 h | 43% | 81% |
| November | 50° | 41° | 15 | 3.3 in | 4.5 h/day | 8.8 h | 49% | 85% |
| December | 46° | 37° | 17 | 3.4 in | 3.1 h/day | 7.9 h | 54% | 86% |
Cologne month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Cologne's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 3.7 h
- Daylight
- 8.4 h
- Snow
- 2 days
February
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 5.5 h
- Daylight
- 9.9 h
- Snow
- 1 day
March
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 7.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.7 h
April
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 13.8 h
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 15.5 h
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 16.5 h
July
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.3 h
- Daylight
- 16.1 h
August
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 14.5 h
September
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 9.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
October
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 5.9 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
November
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 4.5 h
- Daylight
- 8.8 h
December
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sunshine
- 3.1 h
- Daylight
- 7.9 h
- Snow
- 1 day
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Cologne
Spring (March through May)
Spring stays on the cool side of mild here - highs near 59°F (15°C), nights near 42°F (6°C), and rain falls on around 38 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Cologne is pleasantly warm, with daytime highs averaging 75°F (24°C) and nights around 59°F (15°C); rain falls on around 36 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.1 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Through fall, Cologne stays on the cool side of mild: 60°F (16°C) by day, 48°F (9°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 38 of the 90 days.
Winter (December through February)
Through winter, Cologne is brisk and cold: 45°F (7°C) by day, 36°F (2°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 46 of the 90 days, plus about 4 snowy days.
Climate questions, answered
How humid does Cologne get?
What should I pack for Cologne?
How many rainy days does Cologne get in a year?
How sunny is Cologne?
Best time to visit Cologne
April to September is the sweet spot for Cologne - warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Expect 70°F (21°C) in the afternoon and around 12 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in April.
Pack for Cologne with a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. August nights average 60°F (16°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Cologne temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.