September 2025 presented a stark contrast of meteorological conditions across Germany. The month began with late-summer warmth, quickly transitioning to significantly cooler temperatures following the autumnal equinox on September 11th, according to preliminary data released by the German Meteorological Service (DWD).
The first half of the month saw temperatures frequently exceeding 30 degrees Celsius in several regions. Pabstorf, located in the northern Harz foothills, registered a peak of 32.6°C. Conversely, the final ten days of September ushered in a noticeable shift, bringing noticeably cooler and fresher autumnal conditions. The lowest temperatures of the month were recorded on September 29th in Deutschneudorf-Brüderwiese (Erzgebirge) at -1.3°C, closely followed by -6.1°C at the Zugspitze on September 17th.
The average temperature for September 2025 reached 14.5°C, surpassing the reference period of 1961-1990 (13.3°C) by 1.2 degrees and exceeding the comparison period of 1991-2020 (13.8°C) by 0.7 degrees. The most significant deviations, around 2 degrees above average, were observed in the northern regions of the country.
Precipitation levels were notably higher than average, with a total of approximately 86 liters per square meter (l/m²) – representing a 41% increase compared to the 1961-1990 average of 61 l/m². This also exceeded the 1991-2020 comparison period of 65 l/m² by 32%. The southwestern region experienced the heaviest rainfall, with particularly high precipitation totals recorded in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland.
The Saarland is potentially on track to record its wettest September since measurements began in 1881, with current projections indicating it could surpass the record set in 2001 (170.7 l/m²). North Rhine-Westphalia also experienced extreme weather events, including a record-breaking 118.7 l/m² of rainfall recorded in Mönchengladbach-Hilderath on September 11th. In contrast, certain areas of northern and central Germany registered less than 30 l/m² of precipitation for the entire month.
Despite the heavy rainfall, sunshine hours totaled 157, representing a slight increase (approximately 5%) compared to the 1961-1990 reference period (150 hours) and matching the average for the 1991-2020 reference period (157 hours). The northeastern region experienced the most sunshine, with over 200 hours recorded along the Baltic Sea coast and in the adjacent inland areas. Conversely, the central and southwestern uplands were considerably cloudier, with some locations registering less than 125 hours of sunshine.