Reduced Winter Gas Shortage – Structural Risks Remain
- Berlin - Unseasonably mild temperatures throughout the winter of 2025/26 have alleviated pressure on the German gas market.
- The average temperature in Germany during December 2025 was 3.1 degrees Celsius (37.6 degrees Fahrenheit), closely aligning with the average for a typical winter, as projected in INES...
- These weather conditions have improved the outlook for the remainder of the winter and reduced the projected gas shortage compared to November forecasts.
Mild Winter Eases German Gas Market Strain, Supply Concerns Remain
Berlin – Unseasonably mild temperatures throughout the winter of 2025/26 have alleviated pressure on the German gas market. Moderate temperatures in December and a continuing trend into January have slowed gas consumption, but structural risks to supply security persist, according to data released by INES (Autonomous European Energy System Operators Network).
The average temperature in Germany during December 2025 was 3.1 degrees Celsius (37.6 degrees Fahrenheit), closely aligning with the average for a typical winter, as projected in INES gas scenarios (3.2 degrees Celsius). In contrast, the exceptionally cold winter of 2010 saw a monthly average temperature of -4.1 degrees Celsius (24.6 degrees Fahrenheit). January 2026 has been cooler than average, but remains significantly above the extreme lows of previous cold snaps. As of January 23, 2026, the average January temperature is -0.4 degrees celsius (31.3 degrees Fahrenheit), compared to -4.6 degrees Celsius (23.5 degrees Fahrenheit) in January 2010.
These weather conditions have improved the outlook for the remainder of the winter and reduced the projected gas shortage compared to November forecasts. Though, German gas storage levels remain historically low, posing a central risk to supply security.
“Gasmangel bedeute…” (The original German text ends abruptly here. Further data regarding the implications of a gas shortage was not provided in the source material.)