Is winter over? 23C expected in parts of Switzerland this week

Spring could be on its way as the weather forecast in Switzerland suggests temperatures could hit 23 degrees celsius this week due to warm air from Africa.

Temperatures jump to 23C in some parts of Switzerland 

From Tuesday, February 24, the weather in Switzerland will start to improve and may even provide some hope that spring is on its way. While cloud and fog will persist in the mornings this week, the sun will shine most afternoons and it should remain relatively dry, reports 20 Minuten. 

Temperatures across the country will climb to between 13 and 19 degrees celsius, and in Italian-speaking Ticino could even reach 23 degrees in Bellinzona. “Temperatures are very mild for this time of year,” according to weather forecaster Meteo Swiss.

The change in weather makes quite a contrast to the rest of February which has been wet and overcast. The Swiss mountains recently received heavy snowfall, resulting in a rare level five avalanche warning in Valais and a level four warning in other parts of the country. 

Warm air moving towards Switzerland from Africa

Until Friday, a warm-weather high-pressure system from North Africa will keep temperatures higher. There may be some Saharan dust too. Mornings in the lowlands will remain relatively cold, with temperatures between 1 and 5 degrees. 

By the afternoons on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, temperatures will spike to between 16 and 19 degrees. Basel, Bern, Geneva and Zurich are all expected to get a good dose of sunshine. Enjoy it while it lasts, as by the weekend temperatures are expected to drop again to between 7 and 13 degrees.