The German Weather Service (DWD) expects a rather mild winter in Germany.
According to model calculations, the three months of December, January and February could reach an average temperature of at least 2 degrees, the DWD said on Thursday in Offenbach.
The long-term average of the reference period from 1991 to 2020 was 1.4 degrees lower in winter.
According to the DWD, the coming winter would therefore be one of the mildest winters in the period.
On individual days or weeks it could still be significantly colder than the long-term average, the DWD announced.
The winter forecast is based on seasonal climate forecasts that predict climatic trends over larger areas and longer periods of time compared to a historical reference period covered by measured values.
This distinguishes climate forecasts from weather forecasts that apply to a specific place and time.
"The winter forecast of the German weather service is good news for all energy consumers," explained DWD board member for climate and environment Tobias Fuchs.
"If the model is right, we can save heating energy." Models from other national weather services such as the British Met Office or Meteo France also assumed that the winter in Germany would be a little too mild.
The President of the Federal Network Agency, Klaus Müller, explained that a comparatively mild winter could help to maintain the necessary savings of at least 20 percent in gas consumption in the coming months.
There is a good starting position thanks to full gas storage.
But even a few cold days could be enough for consumption to increase and storage tanks to be emptied quickly.
Even with milder temperatures, economy is the order of the day.