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April has not been as cold as this year for 40 years.

According to the preliminary assessment of the German Weather Service (DWD), the average temperature of the month, which is considered capricious, was 6.1 degrees this year and was thus 1.3 degrees below the value of the internationally valid reference period 1961 to 1990. Compared to the current and warmer months In the comparative period from 1991 to 2020, the deviation was even minus 2.9 degrees.

The month began almost in early summer, especially in southwest Germany.

In Müllheim, south of Freiburg, there was the monthly high of 25.9 degrees.

But cool north winds quickly took over and lowered the temperature level significantly.

After years of very warm April months, this year's Easter month ended up being the coolest since 1980.

In addition, there was unusually frequent frost, said a DWD spokesman.

With almost 13 frost days on average for all DWD stations, 2021 was the second frostiest April in Germany after 1929.

It was iciest on the 6th with minus 13.6 degrees on the Swabian Alb in Meßstetten.

Too dry every April in Germany since 2009

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In terms of precipitation, however, April 2021 was similar to its predecessors in previous years and was clearly too dry.

With an average of around 35 liters per square meter, there was almost 40 percent less rainfall than the mean of the reference period 1961 to 1990 with 58 liters per square meter.

Compared to the period 1991 to 2020, the decrease was almost 25 percent.

It was said that every April in Germany since 2009 has been too dry.

The cool temperatures in April, however, did not mean a lack of sun: at 185 hours, the duration of sunshine in April was around 20 percent above its target value of 154 hours.

The sun could be seen on the coasts and in the southwest for more than 200 hours.

In the eastern regions, however, it was sometimes only half as long.

May also started rather cautiously - only in south-east Germany the temperatures could reach almost 20 degrees on Saturday. Otherwise, however, the maximum values ​​should be between twelve and 16 degrees. With heavy cloud cover and rain, especially in the southeast and in Saxony, the blissful month doesn't really live up to its name at the beginning.