 The study analyses daily rain gauge data from the Deutsche Wetterdienst rain gauge network to quantify the probability distribution of wet spell durations and intensities in Germany from 1950 to 2008, finding that wet periods during the cold season have increased by up to 6 percent for extremely long wet periods due to growing precipitation intensity and weakening of precipitation events associated with short and moderately long wet periods. There is no robust trend pattern in wet spell durations and associated precipitation intensities in the warm season, but strong structural changes in winter precipitation over Germany potentially imply increasing rates of winter groundwater recharge and probability of winter flash and river flooding. This article was authored by Olga Zollina.