New data from SRF Meteo has revealed that July 2022 was the sunniest month in Switzerland since records began. In a month that was characterised by threats of water shortages and heatwaves, meteorologists found that the weather in Switzerland produced over 370 hours of clear sunshine over 31 days.

Sunniest month on record in Geneva and Basel in July 2022

In a statement, SRF Meteo said that 20 weather stations across Swiss cantons and cities measured record levels of sunshine in July 2022. The national record was broken in the city of Geneva, where the sun shone for 373 hours without cloud cover, beating the previous record set in Bern in July 1911, when the sun shone for 370 hours.

The city of Basel recorded its sunniest July since measurements began in 1886. Lucerne, Lugano, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchâtel, Sitten and many Swiss ski resorts have also broken their own sunshine records for the month.

Hot weather and rain set to dominate weather in Switzerland

The strongest UV index was measured in the mountains, with MeteoSwiss recording readings of 8 to 11+ on the highest peaks in Canton Valais. A UV index of 8 or above means that fair skin could develop sunburn in as little as 10 minutes if left unprotected. The constant sunshine and lack of rain in alpine areas have led to concerns about dwindling water supplies in Switzerland, especially during the two longest heatwaves.

For the start of August, weather services have predicted temperatures of 28 to 35 degrees Celsius between Tuesday and Friday. From then, while temperatures will remain high, most of the country is set to experience heavy thunderstorms and rain, as the weather is influenced by an area of low pressure arriving from the northwest.