On the second weekend of Advent, it already looks quite Christmassy in many places in Germany. Especially in the east, the weekend brought wintry weather. For the skiing pleasure, however, some places need a little help.

In Berlin, fine snow fell on Saturday and left at least briefly a thin white layer on the streets. Sub-zero temperatures and snowfall also transformed parts of Saxony into a winter wonderland. In Leipzig, there were about eight centimeters of snow. In Lower Saxony, it was even possible to build the first snowmen.

However, the winter weather also posed dangers for traffic. In Brandenburg, a motorist was killed in an accident on the A24 on Saturday morning. At the airport in Schkeuditz, Saxony, heavy snowfall caused waiting times on Friday.

The new week begins damp-cold and with plenty of clouds. On Monday, rain is to be expected in some areas, especially in the mountains partly with snow, as reported by the German Weather Service (DWD). Temperatures will climb to a maximum of two to six degrees, in the night to Tuesday they can fall to minus two degrees. According to the meteorologists, slippery roads threaten especially in the mountains.

Also on Tuesday, gray dominates the sky. Especially in the north and east of the country it can rain, above about 400 meters snow falls.

If the snow fails to materialize after all, one helps a little in Saxony, for example. "We have fired up the snow cannons this weekend," said René Lötzsch, head of the Fichtelberg suspension railroad. The start in Saxony's largest alpine ski area is planned for Dec. 16, he said. "If the weather conditions allow it by then".

With two ski lifts, the season already began in the Sauerland region this weekend. The first skiers whizzed downhill on the opened slopes. "The start has been made," a spokeswoman for the ski lift carousel in Winterberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, said on Saturday.

Skiers also took their first turns at Zugspitze. At Germany's highest mountain (2962 meters), the season already began on Friday. Regular guests in particular took advantage of the generally rather gloomy weather to enjoy their first runs at an altitude of just under 3,000 meters.

Photo by Ali Inay