Record-breaking heatwave on its way to Switzerland this week

After several weeks of heavy rain and thunderstorms, the weather in Switzerland is expected to heat up once again. Starting on Tuesday, meteorologists have forecast a record-breaking heatwave for Swiss cantons and cities, which will last for more than a week.

Heavy rain set to fade as hot weather reaches Switzerland

For the last few weeks, the weather in the alpine nation has been significantly cooler and wetter, with heavy thunderstorms hitting central and northwestern Switzerland. In Bern, flooding caused significant damage to areas in the mountains and some communities have had to boil their tap water after the floods contaminated their local water supply.

Now, the poor weather is set to end, with temperatures across the country expected to rise to between 31 and 34 degrees Celsius by Tuesday. According to Nicolas Borgognon from MeteoNews, “The meteorological situation will head towards a heatwave from the middle of the week and this episode is likely to be longer and more intense than the strong heatwaves observed in June.”

Hottest areas expected to be in the mountains and around Lake Geneva 

With the exception of the area around St. Gallen, Ticino and Basel, clear skies are forecast across the country at the start of the week. By Wednesday, the heatwave will increase the possibility of random thunderstorms and rain showers, although temperatures will still remain high. According to a statement on MeteoNews, “The 35-degree mark can definitely be exceeded. When analysing individual data, we can even see the possibility of absolute heat records.”

The high temperatures are being blamed on hot air from Spain and Portugal. Already, temperatures in the Spanish capital have risen above 40 degrees in the latest in a series of major heatwaves. The highest temperatures in Switzerland are expected to be in Canton Ticino, Valais and the area around Lake Geneva.

The hot weather is set to continue for over a week, ending around July 20. For swimmers and holidaymakers in the alpine nation, the coming days are set to be extremely hot, so prepare accordingly by drinking lots of water and wearing sunscreen.