Climate: Lake Constance - a sometimes foggy heating

Regarding the volume of water, Lake Constance is the second-biggest lake of Europe. Its 48 cubic kilometers of water are a huge reservoir of warmth or coldness. Hot summerdays are less hot in Constance than in other nearby German towns, like Freiburg, Karlsruhe or Stuttgart. In autumn the lake works like a heating. Then the nights are milder than at other places in southern Germany. And in winter, there are less frosty days.

Does this mean, that the climate around Lake Constance is better than elswehere? Unfortunately the answer is no! Expecially in late autumn and winter, there are many foggy days. Especially on winter-days, when it is sunny in the rest of the country, the sun doesn't show up at all in Constance. Thus, the local climate has advantages and disadvantages.

So, which is the best time, to travel to Lake Constance? Spring is a bit cooler than elsewhere, but the white blossom of many apple trees or the tulip blossom on the island Mainau are quite beautiful. On hot summer days, you can swim in the lake or go an a bycicle-tour along the shores of Lake Constance. But summer is the most crowded time, solitude you will then find only at some distance from the lake. Autumn can be very beautiful and mild, but especially late autumn can be foggy and grey, as winter often is. In winter, Lake Constance usually is very calm. And sometimes winters are even sunny. In the year 2007/2008, there hardly was any fog. But the next winter, 2008/2009, was awfully grey again.

At any rate, the influence of the lake ist really tangible. And sometimes it is a joy for the inhabitants and tourists and sometimes it's a nuisance.