Dresden, the capital of Saxony, sits in a broad basin of the Elbe valley in eastern Germany, sheltered by surrounding hills near the Czech border at approximately 51.05°N, 13.74°E. Its eastern, inland position gives it a temperate climate with a distinctly continental edge (Köppen Cfb/Dfb) — warm summers and cold winters — with a wider temperature range and less rain than western Germany.

Summer, from June to August, is warm and among the sunnier, more settled in Germany, with July the warmest month — average highs around 24–25°C — and heatwaves that can exceed 35°C, as the sheltered Elbe basin traps warmth. Thunderstorms are frequent and can be heavy; the sheltering hills give Dresden a mild, warm microclimate sometimes called the 'Elbe Florence' valley.

Winter, from December to February, is cold, with January the coolest month — average highs around 2–3°C and lows near -2 to -3°C, and cold snaps driven by continental air from the east that can drop well below -10°C. Snow falls more often and lies longer than in western Germany, and the surrounding hills and Erzgebirge mountains are reliably snow-covered.

Dresden is relatively dry, receiving around 600–670 mm of precipitation a year, less than the wetter west, spread through the year with a clear summer maximum from thunderstorms; a good share of the winter total falls as snow. The Elbe has flooded the city severely, notably in 2002. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Dresden's sheltered Elbe basin gives it a notably mild, sunny microclimate for eastern Germany, warm enough in summer that the valley slopes support vineyards. Its riverside setting, however, leaves it exposed to Elbe flooding, as in the catastrophic 2002 flood that inundated the historic centre, while its eastern position brings colder, snowier winters than the maritime west.

To follow any single measurement in Dresden 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.