Most of
Germany has a temperate seasonal climate in which humid westerly winds predominate.
The country is situated in between the oceanic Western European and the
continental Eastern European climate. The climate is moderated by the North
Atlantic Drift, the northern extension of the Gulf Stream. This warmer water
affects the areas bordering the North Sea; consequently in the northwest and
the north the climate is oceanic. Germany gets an average of 789 mm (31 in)
precipitation per year. Rainfall occurs year-round, with no consistent dry
season. Winters are mild and summers tend to be warm: temperatures can exceed
30 °C (86 °F).
The east has
a more continental climate: winters can be very cold and summers very warm, and
longer dry periods can occur. Central and southern Germany are transition
regions which vary from moderately oceanic to continental. In addition to the
maritime and continental climates that predominate over most of the country,
the Alpine regions in the extreme south and, to a lesser degree, some areas of
the Central German Uplands have a mountain climate, with lower temperatures and
greater precipitation