Dressing for the weather - Berlin in December
Replies: 10 - Last Post: Nov 27, 2012 1:02 PM Last Post By: Shenaz88
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Dressing for the weather - Berlin in December
Hi there,In two weeks' time I'm headed off to Berlin and Prague -- mostly Berlin -- for about ten days. My LP and friends who've been to central/Eastern Europe gave me the impression it would be almost unbearably cold, but weather websites seem to suggest that typical December temperatures are barely below zero. Clearly, what you consider unbearable depends on what you're used to. I live pretty close to the arctic and have just about every type of winter wear imaginable, from fleeces to a bulky Canada Goose parka that makes me look like an Antarctic explorer. I figure that parka and the traditional Inuit one are out. How cold should I actually expect it to be, and what do actual residents wear outside during the winter? I'd prefer not to stick out like a sore thumb. Thanks very much!
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With the weather as crazy as it is now, it would be hard to tell you how cold it will be anywhere, we might of had an educated guess years ago but it would be hard to do now.It will undoubtedly be cold in that part of the world, and i would guess it may have quite a range from kinda mild to freezing, a heavy sweater you can add under your parka or outer piece of clothing if you feel it is needed?
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Have a google for average temps in Berlin and Prague in December. Compared to near the Arctic in Canada, it's probably balmy. So I wouldn't take a heavy Canadian parka. It's probably cold but perhaps damp, so wear layers and make sure you have warm socks and waterproof footwear.It all depends on what you are used to.
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I wouldn't wear a Canadian parka either. It may be more humid than you're used to though. I met some guys from Winnipeg in the Maple Leaf bar in London once and they were really struggling with +1C cos it's so humid, so the cold really seeps in. Berlin's not quite that humid though, but fleeces would suffice in my opinion. Just make sure you take some footwear that's got plenty of tread.6
agreed that it's improbable to forecast exactly, yet imo it usually gets nasty once the cold from Siberia drops by - often not before January/February. worst about December generally wet/windchill, so dress in layers and make sure to take something water repellant/windproof. if it comes to the worst, fortunately there are plenty of interesting indoor activities available :-)7
Thanks, everyone. I am aware that what one needs to wear depends on what one is used to, and I have Googled average temperatures, which seem quite warm by my standards (though I take your warning about the humidity, Fwoggie). I think my original question wasn't sufficiently clear. What I'm most curious about is whether this winter is shaping up to be typical, temperature-wise, and what kinds of winter clothes local residents wear in December. Sorry for the confusion.8
Well, at the moment they predict temperatures of >0°C during the day and <0°C during the night.http://www.wetter.com/wetter_aktuell/wettervorhersage/16_tagesvorhersage/?id=DE0001020
Just check it before you leave.
I will be in Berlin next weekend to watch a football match and go to some Christmas markets. I will bring warm winter shoes and long johns for that as I will stand a lot.
When I just go to work (15 minutes, always at about 0°C during the last 2 weeks) I only wear normal shoes, a thin scarf and a bonnet, no warmers, no gloves.... So it depends on how much you stay outside and how much you move.
"whether this winter is shaping up to be typical" Sorry, there is no typical winter. Two years ago the average temperature in Berlin for December was -4°C. Last year it was +4°C. It depends on whether there will be mild west wind from the ocean or cold wind from the east (Russia).
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OK, so far the winter is normal, possibly above average temperatures. We've not even had flooding, the UK got it this year. Winter clothes - you acclimatise to where you live. I used to live in tropical Queensland - after a while I was running around in 20C with a light sweater, long pants/trousers, whilst the southern Aussies visiting had T shirts and flip flops on. Odd, not really, until I mention I'm a Brit. Point is - what the locals wear is not necessarily what you need.Pack for min -10C max 10C. Layers are always the way to go in Europe, and a waterproof top that's preferably windproof would be the icing on the cake. Bear in mind that in winter most N European indoor places are overheated, so easy shedding of layers is the way forward.
