Just begining to plan...weather questions

I was in southern Bavaria in late March in 2001, and there were days with cold rain - definitely not 50s and 60s.

We've toured this region the first couple of weeks of April, and the Winter has just turned into Spring. It's our favorite time to tour Europe.
You know the European winter's over by the smell--of fresh cow manure being thrown on the fields. (The truth.)

We've toured this region the first couple of weeks of April, and the Winter has just turned into Spring. It's our favorite time to tour Europe.
You know the European winter's over by the smell--of fresh cow manure being thrown on the fields. (The truth.)

Depends a lot on what you plan to do. Outdoor adventures in Bavaria and Austria - March/April is not your ideal time. Cities like Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, and the castles may be ok that time of year with more indoor stuff to do. Either way that time of year in Germany and Austria the weather can be very unsettled, high possibility of rain and foggy weather but also a possibility of nice weather, temps could be 30's or could be 50's hard to predict.

If you compare Europe to the US (I know, this is just an example, true comparison is not possible), think of Italy as the southern US, in March/April will be fairly mild to warm. Germany/Austria is more like the midwest US, in March/April temps are still quite chilly, rain and possible snow still hanging around.

It will definitely not be 50/60s unless you are really, really lucky. Likely to be wet and cold, snow is likely, but if you stick to the cities, there are plenty of indoor activities.

You're in the transitional time of year when it can just as easily be warm and dry as it can be cold and wet, and everything in between. The Alps will be near the end of the ski season, so likely still covered in a snowpack, especially at high elevation. Everywhere else, the weather is unpredictable this far out. I wouldn't expect it to be particularly hot or cold, but don't rule out a slower than usual transition from winter to spring.

Thanks everyone. Maybe we will put it off until late June when my son is out of school.

There are many average weather websites within Googling distance, but you gotta keep in mind that they are averages and the weather could be very different when you go. I like Weatherbase, but, as with all of them, I ignore the average daily temperature and pay attention to the average daily high and low along with the other details.

This is the link to what I found for Munich -- http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=66801&cityname=Munich-Germany. Here's the link for Vienna: http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=63011&cityname=Vienna-Austria. From either of those you explore the other places you plan to go.

Please note that the results also have current conditions and links to forecasts which will be more useful as you get closer to packing time.

My experience of living in Nuremberg verifies what others have said: cold, wet and snow still on the ground in some places. Munich and Vienna are both at the 48th parallel north, farther north than Minneapolis.

Update: The weather should be much better in June, but proving that anything can happen, we got snowed in at the top of the Grossglockner Alpenstrasse in late June, 2011. We spent the night at the hotel at the highest point. It was raining when we arrived. That rain turned to snow and it was deep the next morning. Not even the folks in the hardcore off road 4WD vehicle left until after lunch when the road was finally cleared and the person who ran the gift shop at the top arrived and told us it was okay to go down, but very carefully. It was beautiful after we got to the point where the road was only wet and not icy. All the roads at lower elevations were fine.