Berlin lies on the flat North European Plain in the northeast of Germany, on the River Spree at around 34 metres elevation and approximately 52.52°N, 13.40°E. It has a moderately continental climate, sitting on the boundary between the mild maritime air of western Europe and the more extreme continental air to the east — which makes its weather highly changeable, with cold winters, warm summers and rain spread through the year.

Summer, from June to August, is pleasantly warm, with July and August the warmest months — average highs around 25°C and cool nights that can feel almost chilly under clear skies. Atlantic depressions can still push in cool, rainy spells even in midsummer, while settled high pressure can send temperatures close to or above 30°C; the record has reached 37°C. June and August are among the wettest months, thanks to afternoon thunderstorms, and the long days bring nearly 17 hours between dawn and dusk at midsummer.

Winter, from December to February, is cold and often grey and damp, with January the coldest month — average highs just above freezing and lows around -2°C. Outbreaks of Siberian air can bring sharp cold snaps well below -10°C. Snow falls fairly often between December and March but rarely lies for long before milder westerly air returns. Days are short and sunshine scarce, with only around two hours a day in deep winter.

Berlin is one of the drier parts of Germany, receiving around 570–590 mm of precipitation a year — the eastern plains see less rain than the wetter west — spread fairly evenly but with a summer maximum from thunderstorms. Snow accounts for a share of the winter total. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Berlin's position between maritime and continental air masses makes its weather notably unpredictable, changing quickly from mild to cold or sunny to showery. A cherished feature of the calendar is the Altweibersommer — an 'old wives' summer' or Indian summer, a spell of warm, settled, golden weather that often arrives in September and sometimes lingers into October before the grey of late autumn sets in.

To follow any single measurement in Berlin more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.