White Christmas in NRW? Snow is only possible in the mountains!

White Christmas in NRW? Snow is only possible in the mountains!

Christmas 2025 is just around the corner and the weather is also causing excitement. The German Weather Service (DWD) has a rather bleak forecast for Christmas Eve. According to their forecast from December 23rd, the weather in North Rhine-Westphalia will not bring the hoped-for white magic. Most people are denied snow; only in the mountains can individual, loose flakes appear. A warm welcome awaits the people of Cologne: temperatures of around 3 degrees in the Rhineland and lower temperatures in East Westphalia and the high altitudes ensure that many of us will head to the Christmas celebrations wrapped up thicker.

So what awaits us after the feast? On Christmas Day, the DWD reports, we can expect sunny and dry conditions. The temperatures are between -1 and +3 degrees, while it gets even frostier in the higher mountains. Loosening of the cloudy sky can be expected until the first public holiday, before Boxing Day greets us with even milder weather and temperatures of up to 4 degrees. It remains snow-free throughout, while the sun could occasionally peek past.

The sugar-coated hope of a white Christmas

The chances of a white Christmas are bleak, and not just in North Rhine-Westphalia. In many regions of Germany, the probability of a snowy holiday season has fallen sharply in recent decades. Meteorologist Nico Bauer from the DWD states that there is a realistic possibility of snow almost only on prepared ski slopes in Winterberg. Numerous tourists are expected there over the holidays, even if the amount of snow is described as “homeopathic”. The Christmas landscape will probably only look well decorated, but not actually be covered in snow. Andreas Walter, a colleague of Bauer, reminds us that a snow cover of at least one centimeter was last recorded in 2010.

The focus is also on the Zugspitze, the only place in Germany that is definitely covered. While the romantic idea of ​​a white Christmas that we often have in our minds has become a rare dream in today's world, we can look back on historical memories of snowy holidays. ZDF meteorologist Katja Horneffer highlights that summer and climate change are leading to a decline in snow conditions, which is making reality increasingly less charming.

The change of winter

It is important to talk about the historical context. In the past centuries there have been periods that have blessed us with snowy winters. The so-called “Little Ice Age” brought colder and snowier conditions. Today, however, we often experience the Christmas thaw, which occurs in 70 percent of cases. The long-awaited snowfalls have been absent lately and while the air has become warmer, climate change is also thwarting our plans.

Frosty nights and clearing skies on Christmas Eve will still give the people of Cologne a little hope. Maybe it will be a bright Christmas Eve, even without the white magic of snow. Whether we actually have the chance to admire the snow-covered Christmas tree every now and then or whether we should better prepare ourselves for the mild winter decorations remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Even if the snow is rare, the anticipation of the festival remains independent.

The development of the weather until Christmas Eve remains exciting and we can only hope that nature gives us the opportunity to enjoy the Christmas season in all its glory, even if the snow may remain an exception.