Berlin has a temperate continental climate with four distinct seasons, marked by cold winters and warm summers that can occasionally turn hot.
Rain falls year-round with no true dry season, though summer months tend to see slightly more precipitation, often arriving as sudden afternoon thunderstorms.
Winter temperatures regularly drop below freezing from December through February, while summer highs average around 24°C but can spike above 30°C during heatwaves.
Wind sweeping across the North German Plain can make temperatures feel considerably colder than the thermometer suggests, particularly in winter and spring.
Layering is essential rather than optional in Berlin, where a single day can swing from chilly morning to warm afternoon and back to nippy evening.