Level 3 heat warning issued for many parts of Switzerland

The Swiss government has issued a heat warning for large parts of Switzerland, with temperatures well over 30 degrees celsius forecast for most areas of the country in the coming days. 

Level 3 heat warning issued for many parts of Switzerland

On Monday, the government issued a heat warning that is expected to last from Tuesday, August 11 until at least Friday, August 15. It declared a danger level three out of five for large parts of French-speaking Switzerland, parts of German-speaking Switzerland, and Ticino.

Level three stands for “significant danger” and warns of weather causing significant risk of circulatory problems and physical discomfort. Temperatures are forecast to rise to between 32 and 36 degrees during the daytime, with a humidity level of up to 50 percent, and will fall no lower than 16 to 21 degrees at night. Wednesday is expected to be the hottest day this week. 

The warning - which applies to all areas below 800 metres above sea level - affects most major Swiss cities, with stuffy temperatures hitting Zurich, Bern, Lucerne, Lausanne and Geneva.

Heatwave expected to last until the weekend

The heatwave is being caused by a high-pressure system over northern Germany, which is now shifting away towards eastern Europe. The southwesterly winds are bringing plenty of hot, dry air to Switzerland, in a heatwave that is expected to last until at least the weekend.

There is also a significant danger of forest fires in the Valais region. Danger level 5 - the highest level - has been declared for the Vispertal, Simplon and the Lötschberger Südrampe.