Essen, Germany Climate & Monthly Averages
Essen has an oceanic climate. August is the hottest month, averaging 75° by day; January is the coldest at 42°.
How weather changes through the year in Essen
Essen averages 52°F (11°C) across the year, with 7.6 hours of sunshine a day and 38.4 inches (976 mm) of precipitation. The spread runs from January, at 42°F (6°C), to August, at 75°F (24°C).
Essen climate quick facts
- Hottest month: August - highs near 75°F (24°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 42°F (6°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 101°F (39°C) high · 7°F (-14°C) low
- Wettest month: January (17 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (11.4 h sun/day)
- Climate type: oceanic
- Annual swing: 16°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 7°C
- Snow: about 8 days a year
- Average humidity: 77%
Temperatures, rain and sunshine
At its warmest, in August, Essen runs to 75°F (24°C) in the afternoon and back to 59°F (15°C) by dawn. January bottoms out at 42°F (6°C) in daylight, 34°F (1°C) after dark. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 101°F (39°C) and bottoms at 7°F (-14°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records. Snow falls on roughly 8 days a year, mostly November through February.
Sunshine averages 7.6 hours a day over the year - duller than all but 9% of the 3496 cities in our dataset, peaking in July at 11.4 hours. Precipitation concentrates in January - 3.9 inches (98 mm) on 17 days - and thins out by April. Days and nights are about 7°C apart on average - narrower than about 78% of the cities we track.
Where Essen sits among other climates
- 29% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than all but 9% of the 3496 cities 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 | 42° | 34° | 17 | 3.9 in | 3.4 h/day | 8.3 h | 55% | 86% |
| February | 46° | 35° | 14 | 3.4 in | 5.2 h/day | 9.9 h | 48% | 81% |
| March | 51° | 38° | 14 | 3.1 in | 7.0 h/day | 11.7 h | 45% | 76% |
| April | 57° | 41° | 12 | 2.5 in | 9.5 h/day | 13.8 h | 40% | 71% |
| May | 65° | 49° | 13 | 2.7 in | 11.0 h/day | 15.6 h | 41% | 70% |
| June | 72° | 56° | 11 | 3.1 in | 11.2 h/day | 16.6 h | 37% | 69% |
| July | 74° | 58° | 14 | 3.2 in | 11.4 h/day | 16.2 h | 44% | 70% |
| August | 75° | 59° | 13 | 3.2 in | 10.6 h/day | 14.6 h | 43% | 72% |
| September | 68° | 54° | 11 | 3.2 in | 9.0 h/day | 12.5 h | 38% | 75% |
| October | 59° | 49° | 13 | 3.2 in | 5.9 h/day | 10.6 h | 43% | 82% |
| November | 49° | 40° | 14 | 3.1 in | 4.4 h/day | 8.8 h | 48% | 86% |
| December | 45° | 38° | 17 | 3.8 in | 2.9 h/day | 7.9 h | 55% | 88% |
Essen month by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Essen's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sunshine
- 3.4 h
- Daylight
- 8.3 h
- Snow
- 3 days
February
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 5.2 h
- Daylight
- 9.9 h
- Snow
- 2 days
March
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 7.0 h
- Daylight
- 11.7 h
April
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 13.8 h
May
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 15.6 h
June
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 16.6 h
July
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 16.2 h
August
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 14.6 h
September
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
October
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 5.9 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
November
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 4.4 h
- Daylight
- 8.8 h
- Snow
- 1 day
December
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sunshine
- 2.9 h
- Daylight
- 7.9 h
- Snow
- 2 days
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Essen's coolest part of the year: January, December, February.
A season-by-season guide to Essen
Spring (March through May)
Spring is mild here - highs near 58°F (14°C), nights near 42°F (6°C), and rain falls on around 39 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Through summer, Essen settles into easy warmth: 74°F (23°C) by day, 58°F (14°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 38 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.1 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Essen runs cool rather than cold, with daytime highs averaging 59°F (15°C) and nights around 48°F (9°C); rain falls on around 39 of the 90 days.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Essen is brisk and cold, with daytime highs averaging 44°F (7°C) and nights around 36°F (2°C); rain falls on around 48 of the 90 days, plus about 6 snowy days.
Questions people ask about Essen's climate
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The most useful weather window for Essen
Best time to visit Essen
April to September is the sweet spot for Essen - warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Expect 69°F (20°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 Essen with a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. Even in August, lows of 59°F (15°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Essen 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.