Cologne (Köln) lies in the low-lying Rhineland of western Germany, on the River Rhine at around 50–60 metres elevation and approximately 50.94°N, 6.96°E. Its sheltered valley position in the far west, close to Atlantic influence, makes it one of the mildest cities in Germany, with a gentle temperate climate — mild, damp winters and warm summers — and no great extremes of heat or cold.

Summer, from June to August, is warm and among the more pleasant in Germany, with July and August the warmest months — average highs around 24–25°C and comfortable nights. The Rhine valley's low elevation and sheltered position help it warm up nicely, and hot spells can climb past 30°C, though Atlantic fronts still bring their share of cooler, showery days and the odd summer thunderstorm.

Winter, from December to February, is mild by German standards, with January the coldest month — average highs around 3°C and lows close to freezing. The mild, humid Atlantic air keeps hard frosts and lasting snow relatively uncommon, so winters are more often grey, wet and windy than bitterly cold. Fog can form in the river valley during calm spells.

Cologne is one of the wetter major German cities, receiving around 800–850 mm of precipitation a year, reflecting its western, Atlantic-exposed position; rain is well distributed through the year with a modest summer peak, and autumn can be notably wet. Snow makes up only a small share of the total. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Cologne's low-lying, sheltered Rhineland setting gives it the mildest overall climate of Germany's big cities, which locals enjoy during the open-air revelry of Karneval in the late-winter weeks before Lent — often chilly and damp but rarely freezing. The Rhine itself, however, ties the city's fortunes to the weather far upstream: heavy rain or snowmelt in the Alps can swell the river and bring periodic flooding to the historic riverbanks.

To follow any single measurement in Cologne 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.