Cologne, Germany Climate & Monthly Averages
Cologne has an oceanic climate. August is the hottest month, averaging 76° by day; January is the coldest at 43°.
How weather changes through the year in 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.
Cologne 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, rain and sunshine
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.
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.
Where Cologne sits among other climates
- 28% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than almost every other city we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.
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
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Cologne's coldest night and 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
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Cologne's coolest part of the year: January, December, February.
A season-by-season guide to 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.
Questions people ask about Cologne's climate
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The most useful weather window for 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.
What to pack
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 extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.